Pain at the ear entrance
The tragus is a small cartilage that lies just before the entrance of the external auditory canal and thus offers protection against the penetration of foreign bodies. Pain when pressure is applied to the tragus often indicates an inflammation of the external auditory canal (otitis externa). Furthermore an inflammation and thus pain directly at the tragus can be caused by a piercing.
Pain in the ear and jaw pain
Since the ears are very close to the jaw, earache is often confused with jaw pain. The dentist notices the teeth grinding during a routine check-up, because the tooth structure shows a strong wear especially on the chewing surfaces and there may also be a receding of the gums. A common cause of jaw pain is teeth grinding (bruxism).
Bruxism is usually caused by stress. The jaw muscles tense up during sleep and the teeth are pressed together. This also results in severe wear and tear of the teeth.
This clenching can result in tension and painful chewing muscles – even during the day – and is perceived as pain in the jaw. In addition, pain in the jaw can be caused by a viral or bacterial inflammation in the jaw (e.g. after a wisdom tooth operation with opening of the maxillary sinus). The pain can also radiate into the ears.
The dentist counteracts tooth wear through bruxism (teeth grinding) with a bite splint. In addition, relaxation exercises for the jaw muscles can help to release tension and reduce teeth grinding. However, an inflammation of the parotid gland can also cause pain in the ear, as the salivary gland is located in the immediate vicinity of the ear. This pain in the parotid gland can also radiate into the jaw and chewing muscles.
Jaw joint pain and pain in the ear
Teeth grinding can also be mentioned as a cause. Symptoms that indicate this are, for example, a cracking when opening the jaw or pain when opening the jaw and chewing. This pain can radiate back into the ears.
Furthermore, a malposition of the temporomandibular joint (craniomandibular dysfunction) is a possibility to trigger jaw and ear pain.The interaction between the joints and the chewing muscles is disturbed and causes symptoms such as pain in the ear. The malposition can be the result of long teeth grinding, but it can also be caused by a displacement of the spine, which can cause a malposition of the jaw. In addition to the pain in the jaw – which is usually described as dull and can be felt both during chewing and at rest – and the pain in the ear, the pain can also radiate into the head and neck area. Tinnitus can also become noticeable.
