Do you suffer from fibromyalgia and your jaw hurts when you move? Do you also suffer from headaches and neck pain?

WHAT IS OROFACIAL PAIN?

The   orofacial area includes the mouth and face (which also includes the nose, ears, neck, and head). Pain in this part of the body can be caused by various pathologies, but most often it is caused by alterations in dental occlusion.

Other causes can include craniofacial trauma, psychological disorders, and illnesses such as fibromyalgia.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FIBROMYALGIA?

A study found that  orofacial pain is more common in people with fibromyalgia  than in people without the condition.

Twenty-five patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 25 “healthy” individuals were evaluated. Participants with fibromyalgia complained more of pain in the head, neck, chewing, and jaw movement.

The study concluded that orofacial pain, including temporomandibular disorders, may be another symptom of fibromyalgia or a condition associated with this disease  .

It is estimated that up to 90% of fibromyalgia patients may experience facial and jaw discomfort  , related to the muscles and ligaments corresponding to the temporomandibular joint.

Sleep disturbances, such as bruxism (clenching or grinding of teeth) and sleep disturbances, are symptoms associated with orofacial pain and fibromyalgia.

HOW DOES A PERSON WITH FIBROMYALGIA AND OROFACIAL PAIN FEEL?

A person with fibromyalgia and orofacial pain may experience symptoms such as pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, difficulty opening the mouth, numbness and facial tenderness or burning.

People with fibromyalgia may experience pain in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, back, face, and head.

Dizziness and sleep disturbances can be a symptom of both conditions.

HOW TO PREVENT?

People with fibromyalgia can prevent orofacial pain by doing jaw exercises such as moving forward, to both sides, and opening and closing the mouth.

It is also vitally important to treat, control and cure oral infections, not to mention managing stress, anxiety and depression.

Oral hygiene should never go unnoticed, especially for fibromyalgia patients  , brush your teeth after every meal, floss, visit the dentist frequently and most importantly, keep the disease under control.