Diagnostic Tests for Jaw pain

Diagnostic Test list for Jaw pain:

The list of diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis of Jaw pain includes:

• General inspection
  • Note the person's general state and behavior - e.g. any sudden jabbing pain in the face causes a characteristic "tic" and may indicate neuralgia.
• Physical examination
  • Look just in front of the ear for swelling of the jaw joint (may indicate swelling of the temporomandibular joint)
  • Feel the joint by placing a finger just in front of the ear while the person opens and shuts their mouth
  • Clicking and grating may be felt and may be associated with tenderness if the temporomandibular joint is involved in an inflammatory arthritis such as Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Check for pain and limitation of jaw movements ( especially opening the mouth), tenderness of the jaw joint and grating noise with moving the joint which suggests temporomandibular joint dysfunction
  • Thorough examination of the teeth and gums may disclose dental caries, gingivitis, oral tumor or alveolar abscess. These conditions may refer pain to the jaw
  • Examine the ear drum for evidence of herpes zoster rash which would suggest Ramsay Hunt syndrome
• Blood tests
  • Full blood count
  • ESR (elevated in temporal arteritis)
  • Rheumatoid factor
• Radiological examinations
  • X-ray of the teeth
  • X-Ray of temporomandibular joint
  • X-Ray of the sinuses
  • MRI of temporomandibular joint (procedure of choice to rule out pathology of this joint)
• Biopsy of the temporal artery, if suspect temporal arteritis

Home Diagnostic Testing

These home medical tests may be relevant to Jaw pain causes:

• Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Test Kits
  • Home Blood Glucose Testing Kits

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