Pain in Ear When Chewing

Just imagining chewing as a painful activity can give goose bumps. Isn't it? This is because the food that is served on the plate cannot be consumed unless it is chewed properly. Chewing causing discomfort is mainly due to ear problems. Pain in ear when chewing food is often an indication of ear canal becoming swollen, but it can also occur as a consequence of dental issues.

Earache When Chewing

Having pain in ear while munching food can certainly prevent you from enjoying your favorite delicacy. Every bite gives a reminder of the underlying ear problem. Shooting pain in ear while chewing is due to the following reasons:

Ear Canal Infection
This is a common ear problem found to be the main culprit behind pain in ear when chewing. The ear canal is a tube that starts from the outer ear and ends at the eardrum. This type of infection affecting the ear canal is caused by the bacteria. People who scratch the ear frequently with nails, pointed objects or cotton swabs are likely to suffer from ear canal infection. The ear infection typically makes every bite of food a cause of discomfort.

Jaw Problems
Inflammation of the jaw joint can also be one of the possible reasons behind pain in jaw and ear when chewing. People experiencing pain arising from jaw problems are often under the wrong impression that the discomfort is originating from ear. Poor dental hygiene or a jaw injury are generally responsible for causing swelling in the jaw joint.

TMJ Disorder
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint that is a point of contact between the jaw and the skull bone. This joint is found in the front of both the ears and its normal functioning is very important for painless chewing. Any damage to this joint triggers persistent pain that radiates from the ear. Thus, TMJ problem is likely to make chewing a difficult activity due to constant radiating sharp pain in ear. In some cases, the injury to the joint remains confined around the ear. A physical impact such as a blow on the cheeks can injure the joint causing ear pain when swallowing and chewing. Joint damage from arthritis is yet another possibility behind TMJ disorder. A person with TMJ problems may produce a typical clicking noise while opening or closing the mouth. Besides ear ache, TMJ disorder may also cause mild to moderate headache, especially in the morning. Frequently grinding the teeth can strain the muscles that provide support to the temporomandibular joint. This can also be one of the factors responsible for causing TMJ problem.

Treatment

Examination of the painful ear from an ENT specialist will help to identify the underlying cause. As ear canal infections are bacterial in nature, they are usually treated with antibiotics. Home remedies for ear pain can also benefit to relieve discomfort. In most cases, antibiotic ear drops is the first line of treatment for ear canal infections. However, a person with severe infection is also advised to take antibiotics orally to alleviate the pain.

In case an ENT specialist, fails to detect any ear problem, one should consult a dentist. Dental related ear and jaw pain is often the result of jaw or TMJ problems. The doctor generally prescribes painkillers in order to relieve discomfort associated TMJ disorders. If painkillers don't work, corticosteroid drugs or botulinum toxin injections may be prescribed to reduce pain linked with TMJ problems. To prevent teeth grinding during sleep, the doctor may recommend use of bite guard, a device that is placed over the teeth. In rare cases, a surgery is performed to correct the joint abnormality.

On the other hand, inflammation of the jaw joint can be cured by simple ear pain relief methods like application of heating pad on the painful area. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can also contribute to get rid of joint inflammation.

A modification in diet is equally important to manage earaches while chewing. For instance, including food items in the diet that require a lot of chewing can aggravate the discomfort and so must be avoided. Instead, prefer soft foods like dairy products, well cooked ground meat (chicken or beef with gravy), tofu, and fruits such as ripe banana, to prevent earache from worsening.