Whenever I opem my mouth real wide, or chew, my upper jaw joint and inner ear hurts alot. What gives?

Question

whatever jaw joint on your face is right next to your ear, thats what hurts (on the left side of my face) Also, whatever is hurting the bone/joint in my face, its pulling (or pushing, i cant quite tell) on what feels like my inner ear, making my ear hurt whenever I close my mouth after opening it really wide, or chewing something hard.

I had a ruptured ear drum back in Feb. 2005, but I dont think its that. So whats wrong with me? Should I go to the Dr.? What should I do.

Answer 1

Sounds like TMJ, or temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Here are the symptoms:
Ear pain
Sore jaw muscles
Temple/cheek pain
Jaw popping/clicking
Locking of the jaw
Difficulty in opening the mouth fully
Frequent head/neck aches

A very common focus of pain is in the ear. Many patients come to the ear specialist quite convinced their pain is from an ear infection.

You should go to an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose & Throat doctor) for TMJ pain. Here are some treatments:
Rest the muscles and joints by eating soft foods.
Do not chew gum.
Avoid clenching or tensing.
Relax muscles with moist heat (1/2 hour at least twice daily).

These may help if your condition is diagnosed early. The doctor will have other recommendations for treatment if the condition is more serious or ongoing.

Answer 2

Maybe you have TMJ. I have that problem. My jaws crack and my ears hurt really bad sometimes.

Answer 3

Go to the Dentist and ask about "TMJ"

http://1sttmjdentist.com/tmj-dentist-article4.shtml

Answer 4

you should see a Dr to be on the safe side
sounds like you might need an x-ray to see what it is