Has anyone had problems with pain and stiffness in their jaw?

Hi there , thanks for taking the time to reach out to us here. If you haven't already, we strongly encourage you to bring up this symptom with your doctor to eliminate any underlying potential causes and hopefully look into how you can find some relief. With that being said, you're definitely not alone in experiencing jaw pain/stiffness- the jaw joint, called the TMJ, is often impacted by RA. Two of our team members wrote articles about jaw pain & RA that I think will be helpful for you: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/jawbreaker/ https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/jaw-pain-tmd/ Wishing you some well deserved relief ahead. Gently, Ashley (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member)

Hi ,

To answer your question, yes! When I was first diagnosed with RA I did not understand that it could manifest itself in any and every joint--including the jaw. I went to the dentist thinking it was a problem they could solve but they didn't have any answers. Eventually it went away and it wasn't until later that I realized it must have been the RA. Since then, I've had inflammation in every joint. I always assume that it's RA and wait for it to pass. Like Ashley mentioned, you should speak with your doctor if the pain isn't going away to see if there's steps you can take.

Good luck!

Franki, RheumatoidArthritis.net Team

Thanks Frank! Just recently diagnosed with RA. Two days ago I had pain in jaw and could not open mouth all the way. Today just a small area near ear. How do I know if it’s a tooth or RA. Sounds your experience says it is RA!

I first experienced in about 10 years ago and it only lasted a day. But now I have had it in the last 12 months and it is incurable and every time I open my mouth or try to eat or yawn it’s scrapes

or clicks.
I hope no one suffers the same
Susie