Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and Bumps Under the Jaw

It’s not uncommon to experience a lot of weird side effects when you have temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. Things like popping and clicking jaws, ringing ears and migraine auras are all par for the TMJ disorder course. But one symptom often causes a bit more alarm than others: bumps or lumps under the jaw.

Bumps under the jaw can be a very alarming discovery, but if you have TMJ disorder, chances are you don’t have much to worry about. That’s because bumps under the jaw are quite common with TMJ disorder. But what are they?

Lymph Nodes Lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system. Their purpose is to trap viruses and bacteria that could otherwise make you sick. When your lymph nodes swell, chances are your body is fighting off an infection. This is known as lymphadenitis. Very rarely swollen lymph nodes can be caused by cancer, but usually they are harmless. Still, be sure to have them checked out by a physician as soon as possible.

Cysts A cyst is a sack of air or fluid inside the body. Usually they are benign (not cancerous), but in some very rare instances they can be cancerous, so, just like with lymph nodes, it is important to have a doctor or dentist check out your cyst, just to be safe.

Saliva Glands Your salivary glands are where your body produces the saliva that keeps your mouth moisturized and helps you prevent cavities. Sometimes salivary glands can become infected, though, causing them to be swollen and painful.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder While TMJ disorder won’t cause bumps, the presence of these usually benign bumps can make TMJ disorder symptoms worse, because the pain and swelling puts additional pressure on the surrounding tissue that may already be in pain due to the TMJ disorder.

If you have TMJ disorder and are feeling bumps under the jaw bone, please contact Dr. George and schedule an appointment to be examined at 724-220-2347.