After the blow, the jaw hurts when chewing. Treatment of a bruise due to a strong blow to the jaw

A jaw bruise is a mechanical injury to the muscles and soft tissues located on the lower part of the face, without compromising the integrity of the skin. Usually the injury heals on its own, but experts do not recommend leaving it unattended, since such damage may impair the functionality of the entire jaw.

Photo 1. A jaw bruise is an injury that cannot be ignored. Source: Flickr (Nikhil Bhardwaj)

Causes and mechanism of bruise

You can get hurt as a result of a collision in the following cases:

  • A blow to the jaw during a fight or sporting event;
  • Fall from any height;
  • As a result of a traffic accident.

Due to a strong blow to the jaw, small vessels and capillaries rupture, which provokes subcutaneous hemorrhage. Internal bruising causes swelling and discoloration of the skin. Nerve endings located in the muscles transmit signals to the brain about the injury that has occurred, and the victim experiences pain of varying intensity, directly depending on the force of the blow.

Symptoms and signs

After receiving an injury, the patient experiences severe pain in the area of ​​the face where the blow fell. In addition to acute pain, obvious symptoms of a bruise are:

  • Swollen lips with cracks and bleeding;
  • Damage to gums or teeth;
  • The appearance of abrasions or swelling at the site of impact;
  • Pain that gets worse when touched or pressed;
  • Loss of jaw mobility;
  • Hematoma formation;
  • Seals and inflammation in the lymph nodes;
  • Increased body temperature and general malaise (rare);
  • Difficulty speaking, yawning and trying to chew.

It is important! The symptoms are in many ways similar to fractures of the jaw bones, dislocations or fractures, so it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner to exclude a serious injury, which can lead to the development of serious complications.

The lower and upper jaws are susceptible to bruising. The task of each of them is to provide the ability to eat and chew food, swallow, speak, yawn and breathe. The signs of soft tissue damage are almost identical, but there are fundamental differences.

Bruise of the upper jaw

Anatomically, the upper jaw is a pair and is directly connected to other bones of the skull. Its body is represented by an anterior outer surface with alveolar canals, as well as nasal, orbital and infratemporal surfaces. The structure of the upper jaw is motionless.

In addition to the main symptoms, lacrimation, blurred vision, impaired respiratory function of the nose, or excessive salivation may appear.

Bruise of the lower jaw

The main difference between the lower jaw is its mobility, therefore, if there is a bruise, there may be difficulties with swallowing, breathing, as well as increasing pain when trying to open the mouth or perform any other action (chew food, pronounce a word, etc.).

It is important! Bruises of the lower jaw can lead to serious complications, including the formation of malocclusion.

Signs of different degrees of injury

The degree of injury is influenced by external factors: the force of the impact, the hardness of the object with which the collision occurred, its weight, speed of movement, facial area (cheekbone, chin, nose, etc.), age, physiological characteristics of the victim (condition of blood vessels, bones, injury).

Depending on this, bruises are divided into several types:

  • Lungs. They do not require treatment and go away on their own over time;
  • Medium-heavy. There are disturbances in the functionality of the jaw and there is severe pain with the formation of bruises;
  • Heavy. Such bruises are large-scale with the development of hematoma and large swelling. In this case, muscles, ligaments and joints may be affected with tears or sprains.

First aid for a bruised jaw

Immediately after receiving an injury, it is necessary to carry out primary:

  • Carry out a visual inspection, and if there are open wounds handle their ;
  • Apply a tight bandage using bandages or any clean cloth at hand. This must be done to immobilize the damaged area and prevent the development of inflammation or suppuration;
  • You can reduce pain and stop the formation of hematoma by applying ice to the injury site or a heating pad with very cold water;
  • For severe pain, you can give to the victim analgesic in the form of a tablet or give an anesthetic injection.

After completing all the necessary manipulations, it is necessary to take the patient to the emergency room.

Diagnosis of injury

Minor injuries with subtle external signs are diagnosed by external inspection. A bruise can easily be confused with a fracture and dislocation. To rule out the possibility of internal injuries, you need to visit the emergency room and take an X-ray.

To exclude a dislocation, fracture or fracture of the jaw bones, the doctor may prescribe an additional examination.

Most often carried out radiography maxillofacial region. Sometimes testing for a concussion is necessary.

Treatment of a jaw bruise

In the first days the patient is shown complete peace. The degree of load on the jaw should be minimal. These days, it is recommended to take exclusively liquid food and lubricate the damaged area.

For example:

  • Finalgel It helps relieve pain and restore mobility of damaged joints and ligaments. You can also use cream Express bruise, gel Bruise-off, Indolizine.
  • They have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and wound-healing effects. ointments and gels based on Arnica.
  • To resolve hematomas, they may be prescribed Heparin ointment, Lyoton-gel, Troxerutin, Troxevasin, Dolobene and other drugs.

Note! It is not advisable to choose the appropriate remedy on your own. Some ointments contain heparin or horse chestnut, which can cause complications in people with poor blood clotting, kidney disease, and pregnant women.

After a few days, when the pain subsides, your doctor may prescribe warming ointments or compresses to speed up the healing process. For the same purposes, dry heat, ozokerite applications or visiting a physiotherapy room for UHF sessions are indicated.

Treatment of bruises with folk remedies

You can apply it at home alcohol(vodka) compresses, and decoctions from knotweed, birch buds, corn silk and horsetail.

Chopped plantain leaves, wormwood and onions are good for relieving inflammatory processes. They can only be used fresh. As the paste dries, it is necessary to change the compress.

Another good remedy for treating bruises is. It must be diluted with water and applied to the damaged area until completely dry.

Rehabilitation period

After severe bruises, it may take time for your jaw to regain full functionality. In some cases, the rehabilitation period takes from a month to six months.

Note! Rehabilitation measures for jaw bruises are carried out strictly on an individual basis, and are developed by a specialist based on the complexity of the injury, the physiological characteristics of the body and the age of the patient.

Consequences and complications

A bruise is not a serious injury, but inattention to its treatment can cause the development of various complications:

  • The jaw may lose functionality and cease to perform its primary function;
  • In some cases, the shock-absorbing function is not restored. This will require long-term rehabilitation with the inclusion of physiotherapeutic procedures and exercise therapy;
  • Post-traumatic myositis of the masticatory muscles (inflammation is difficult to correct);
  • Deformation of the lower part of the face with malocclusion;
  • Periostitis;
  • The appearance of a malignant neoplasm.

Photo 2. After a severe blow, jaw problems can last a lifetime.

No one is immune from injury. The most common traumatic injuries include bruises. Few people consider this to be serious, but bruises, including jaw bruises, require timely diagnosis and proper treatment. Otherwise, there is a risk of developing serious and dangerous complications.

What is a bruise of the upper or lower jaw?

If the jaw has been subjected to traumatic damage due to mechanical impact, while the structure of the bone tissue and skin have not been damaged, then we are talking about such a phenomenon as a bruise of the jaw. With such an injury, the soft tissues of the face and small blood vessels are damaged. There is very little difference between damage to the upper and lower jaw. The main one remains localization. Experts note that a bruise of the lower jaw is a more common injury than a similar injury to the upper jaw.

Causes

The causes of a jaw bruise are simple - most often, it is a consequence of a blow to the face with a hard object. This can happen when the lower or upper jaw is hit during a fight, a traffic accident, an industrial accident, or as a result of an accidental coincidence. Sometimes a jaw injury occurs as a result of a collision of the face with a hard surface. For example, if a person fell on the asphalt or did not notice a slightly open door in the twilight and collided with it.

Symptoms

A bruise differs from other traumatic injuries to the maxillofacial area in that the connection of the injured part with the rest of the skull remains stable. Depending on the condition of the facial tissues and jaw bones of the victim at the time of the bruise, the location of the injury (on the lower or upper jaw) and the characteristics of the object to which this injury was inflicted, the damage may have varying degrees of severity and nature. The main symptoms of a jaw bruise include:

Diagnostic methods

In most cases, a jaw bruise is diagnosed during examination and interview of the patient, as it has pronounced symptoms. However, sometimes the injury needs to be differentiated from fractures, cracks, and dislocations. The doctor may prescribe a comprehensive examination, which includes:

  1. examination by the following specialists: traumatologist-orthopedist, dentist, maxillofacial surgeon;
  2. computed tomography (if necessary);
  3. X-ray examination of the injured area;
  4. if there is concomitant injury to the ENT organs, you will need to visit an otolaryngologist;
  5. If there is a suspicion of a concussion, you need to consult a neurologist.

First aid

If, after a blow or fall, the symptoms described above appear, you should immediately seek qualified medical help. To prevent the victim’s condition from worsening, exposure to direct sunlight and warming procedures are contraindicated before the examination begins. The rules for providing first aid for a bruise are as follows:


Treatment of bruises of the upper and lower jaw

Typically a bruise is a minor traumatic injury. The victim does not require inpatient therapy. In most cases, therapy is carried out at home. An injured jaw needs rest, so the first step is to apply a pressure bandage to the bruised area. Treatment is further divided into two main stages:

  1. Exposure to cold. Recommended in the first 48 to 72 hours after a jaw injury occurs. Reduces pain and helps stop subcutaneous hemorrhages.
  2. Heat therapy. Follows the cold treatment phase. Helps accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissue, and when exposed to heat, the hematoma resolves faster. To carry out warming procedures, UHF, ozokerite applications, and Sollux can be used. Dry heat is also popular.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine shows high effectiveness in relieving the unpleasant symptoms of jaw injuries. If a specialist has diagnosed a jaw injury, but a fracture or dislocation is completely excluded, then you can use one of the popular folk recipes (see also: jaw fracture: symptoms and treatment methods). The following methods will help cope with the consequences of injury:

  • "Fat ointment." Grind sea salt in a coffee grinder, grate (or very finely chop) the onion. Mix the ingredients with any animal fat and apply regularly to the injured area.
  • Tinctures. Thoroughly chop birch buds, blue cornflower flowers, knotweed, bearberry leaves, corn silk or horsetail with a ceramic knife (you can use a metal tool, but this will negatively affect the quality of the finished product). Pour the crushed plant with vodka or alcohol diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. Insist for three days. Strain. Use for compresses.
  • Pour bodyagi powder into warm boiled water and mix thoroughly. Apply the resulting diluted bodyaga to the site of the jaw injury.
  • Attach a plantain leaf. It can be replaced with chopped wormwood or finely chopped crushed onions.

Complications after injury

If the victim is provided with first aid, a full diagnosis is carried out and complex therapy is prescribed, and he follows all the doctor’s recommendations, then the prognosis for treatment of the bruise is favorable.

Soon the consequences of the injury will disappear without a trace. If treated incorrectly or refuse any therapy, a banal bruise can provoke the development of serious and dangerous complications:

  • sarcoma - this malignant neoplasm can appear if the jaw was injured in childhood, during the formation of the periosteum (see also: what to do if the periosteum hurts after tooth extraction?);
  • contracture – leads to the fact that the natural mobility of the jaw joints becomes severely limited;
  • post-traumatic myositis - an inflammatory process in the tissues of the jaw bone;
  • post-traumatic periostitis is an inflammation of the periosteum that is aseptic in nature.

Despite their strong structure, our teeth are susceptible to damage due to mechanical stress. A hit to the face can immediately provoke a number of problems with them. Perhaps the most unpleasant of them is tooth pain - a symptom indicating the seriousness of damage to the injured area. How can you quickly get rid of this problem?

Causes

The blow to the face itself may occur on some other part of the head, but pain in the tooth will still most likely occur. By all indicators, this injury is a typical bruise - a closed injury without violating the integrity of the damaged object in anatomical terms. With it, the tooth remains in place, without changing its position relative to the jaw and other teeth, but some parts of it are affected. The mechanism of a bruise is simple: damage occurs to the dental ligaments, which fix the tooth in place and attach it to the jaw bone. With a strong impact, there is even a serious risk of their complete rupture. A severe tooth bruise can lead to tangible consequences. First, there is the possibility of damage to the dental nerve, which can lead to loss of sensitivity. Secondly, a blow to the face can also cause destruction of the dental pulp, which can lead to tooth loss. In this case, pain becomes a signal that dental problems require an immediate solution.

Main symptoms of tooth bruise

Knowledge of the symptoms of a tooth bruise will help you in correctly recognizing the nature of the damage. As a rule, experts identify four main characteristics of a bruised tooth:

  • Severe pain (especially in the first few hours after a blow to the face), problems with a correct and painless bite.
  • A feeling that the tooth has changed its position relative to the jawbone and other teeth (the victim begins to feel as if the tooth is located a little higher or is bent to the side).
  • When blood vessels and the dental nerve rupture, the tooth itself may change color to pink (due to the release of blood inside it). After a few days, the color may change from pink to dark brown (after blood clotting).
  • A good indicator of a bruised tooth is the gum near it: if there is damage, it will be inflamed, and the tooth itself may be slightly mobile.

How to cure a bruised tooth?

First aid for a bruised tooth after a blow to the face is to reduce pain. The victim should apply a cold compress to the injury site to help relieve swelling. You should avoid eating solid food for three to five days after the injury. If the pain is too acute, then it is recommended to use such powerful painkillers as analgin, paracetamol or tempalgin. We remind you that in any case you will have to see a specialized doctor: as mentioned above, after a blow to the face there is a risk of rupture of the dental nerve or destruction of the pulp, and therefore in order to avoid complications you will definitely need the help of a professional.

Hello, dear site visitors. I am often asked, why does knockout occur? Why is the jaw a favorite target for boxers? And how to perfect a clear hit on it?

Right punch to the jaw

Correct blows to the jaw allow you to quickly achieve victories. But they need to be trained. Do you know why a blow to the jaw leads to loss of consciousness? It is important to understand which boxing techniques can lead to such a result. We also need to learn not to fall under such attacks ourselves. It's good if your neck muscles are well developed. So in the event of a defeat, they absorb potential concussion.

And to achieve the goal, you can work with direct and side blows. But how to proceed to hit the jaw correctly?

Direct attacks are inferior in power to side attacks. After all, during a direct attack, the neck muscles absorb the impact energy, and the head does not lean back very quickly.

Lateral executions are more difficult to defend against. And if you want to instantly turn off your opponent, use them.

The most vulnerable area is the entire lower jaw. There is an abstract vertical line down from the corner of the mouth. You need to get to its center.

Use the heel of your palm. Turn your fingers outward. Attack directly. Move your elbow slightly to the side. The impulse follows from it to the middle of the palm. Hit the areas between the back of the head and the enemy's ear. Work big.

A good result for you will be achieved if you skillfully attack with a counter attack (counter assault). The key to victory here is sharpness and toughness. In the final phase of the attack, the fist is clenched powerfully. You use your feet well. The fist is triggered first, followed by the shoulder girdle, back, leg and ankle.

How to properly strike the lower jaw if it has a different curve? A powerful side slap works great here. The middle of the palm is also involved. You can attack from the side from the elbow. At a modest distance, the anvil technique is used: with your free hand, hold your opponent's head across the ring.

A correct blow to the jaw and subsequent knockout are associated with a competent defeat of this target from below. The uppercut works great here. Example:

You can work with the edge of your palm from the place of your thumb.

If for some reason you want to seriously injure your opponent, and are puzzled by how to properly break his jaw with one blow, then you can use the following technique:

  1. Use your palm in a straight line.
  2. Twist it from your side and down.
  3. After an assault, the opponent's jaw may break, become dislodged, or fall out of its groove.

Of course, many people want to achieve victories in boxing matches. Someone wants to knock out an opponent without fail, while inflicting significant injuries on him. For some, a victory on points or a knockout without particularly serious injuries is enough. And if you are tormented by the question of how to hit to break a jaw, think about whether it is necessary to reduce the situation to fractures? Of course, anything can happen in battle, and fractures may not be caused intentionally. But it’s better to do without them, because this is boxing, not a fight with street bandits.

State of the brain after jaw damage

Since the anatomical location of the jaw is such that certain actions can cause a concussion, it becomes a frequent target during combat.

Missing an attack on it does not immediately cause pain. The fighter temporarily loses consciousness. So why does a blow to the jaw knock a person out so much?

Here we can recall Archimedes' law. Its essence is that if you use a lever of a decent length, you can implement effective operations. And the longer its length, provided that the fulcrum is optimally located, the less effort needs to be applied.

The brain is located at the top of the skull. The mandible is its lowest point. And the brain is vulnerable to various types of damage due to impacts. The jaw is diametrically arranged on the other side. She is the very lever that can shift the brain. And sudden attacks can lead to a similar state.

And the boxer who has suffered from them begins to have poor orientation in space, feels nothing and loses consciousness. Doctors usually diagnose a concussion. In the worst cases, a jaw fracture is also added. In very rare situations, coma occurs.

The intensity of vibrations during the amplitude of head rotation is of great importance. If you just shake your head from side to side, you will already feel some metamorphoses. The higher the indicated intensity, the more severe the effect on the brain. And when vibrations are caused by a powerful assault, the brain is shifted off its own axis.

When a boxer takes the correct stance, he lowers his head slightly, thereby hiding the opponent's potential target. He also defends her with his hands. And during the strike, he will try to avoid defeat along a certain trajectory. And it may not receive a devastating attack.

If the brain is abstractly focused on the coordinate axis, then the following picture will be obtained:

In a calm position of the brain, these axes follow strictly in the center. After damage to the jaw, the brain shifts relative to these axes. The displacement can go in different directions. Impact vectors are of great importance here. And here the principles of inertia apply.

A hit to the jaw gives a sharp impulse to the entire skull. And the brain does not move when the outer walls of the skull move to the side. But then it moves by inertia. A resonance is formed. There are vibrations in another part of the skull. And the substance is repeatedly displaced over a microscopic distance. Cerebrospinal fluid begins to circulate poorly. These are signs of a concussion.

When encountered attacks are skillfully implemented, all designated processes are multiplied. The point of defense here is to have time to skillfully turn your head so as to soften the force of offensive blows.

Jaw condition

The boxer defeats this target so that his opponent is disoriented, loses coordination of movements and is knocked out. One of the consequences may be a jaw fracture. It can crack at several points at the same time. Here the following factors come to the fore:

  1. Power, vector of the assault carried out.
  2. Physiological specifics of the victim.
  3. Weight and degree of rigidity of the combat glove

However, a jaw with fractures is not always the result of missing a powerful boarding device. And the losing fighter remembers his failure for a long time. He is reminded of this by pain in the lower jaw, the place where it connects with the upper jaw, and the area near the ear. It is worth noting this specificity: if the left side of the jaw was affected, then pain occurs on the right, and vice versa.

Conclusion

Boxing is a tough competition. And injuries are commonplace here. The lower jaw is very often affected. This is a favorite target of many fighters. It is very important with what force it is attacked, with what aggression. It may be injured insignificantly, it may break or become severely cracked. It all depends on the skill and anger of the boxer who attacks it.

A jaw injury is one of the most common head injuries. It represents various damage to small vessels and soft tissues (scratches, bruises, hematomas) resulting from increased mechanical impact. The integrity of the skin and bone structures, in such cases, is not compromised. Often jaw injuries are accompanied by damage to the nasal cavity or eye area.

Fortunately, such injuries are almost never accompanied by unpleasant consequences and do not require serious treatment. Therapy may consist of routine treatment of the affected areas and proper care for them.

However, for a quick recovery, all people need to know what to do after a blow to the face, how to provide first aid to the victim, and also what pharmacological drugs will help speed up treatment.

Causes

A bruise of the lower or upper jaw can occur as a result of:

  • Domestic conflict between people;
  • Falls from a height;
  • Road traffic accident;
  • Falls during icy conditions;
  • Unsafe sports;
  • Failure to comply with safety rules on the road, work or other areas;
  • Excessively active rest;
  • Childish, careless games.

Symptoms


To determine the type and severity of injury, every person should know the first and most common symptoms of a bruise:

  • Inflammatory processes in the lymph nodes;
  • Formation of swelling of soft tissues;
  • Pain during wide opening of the mouth;
  • The appearance of scratches and abrasions;
  • The occurrence of bruises and hemorrhages;
  • Pain sensations localized at the site of injury (in the lower or upper jaw), which can radiate to the ear area and other bones of the skull;
  • Inability to perform normal life activities: chew food, yawn, cough or sneeze. When performing such actions, the pain becomes more intense;
  • Deterioration of the general condition of the victim.

It is quite simple to distinguish between a regular, superficial bruise and a fracture of the jaw bones: when the integrity of the bone structures is damaged, as a rule, the jaw is deformed, the signs of injury are more pronounced and the integrity of several layers of soft tissue is damaged.

However, for an accurate diagnosis, it is best to visit the nearest emergency room, where a qualified doctor will conduct the necessary examination procedure and confirm or deny the presence of a fracture, and then prescribe the appropriate treatment in your case.

First aid

Before proceeding with the treatment of the emerging pathology, the victim should be given first aid and taken for examination to a traumatologist in order to refute more serious damage to the bones of the skull (fracture, dislocation, displacement).

First of all, it is necessary, using available auxiliary items, to ensure cooling of the injured area. If the injury occurred at home, it is recommended to apply ice, frozen meat, vegetables or fruits to the bruised area of ​​skin.

It is worth remembering that direct contact of the cold compress with the skin is not allowed. It is better to wrap ice products with a towel, rag or bag.

If the injury occurred on the street or in another place where it is not possible to get ice from the refrigerator, doctors recommend using snow, rags (pieces of things) soaked in cold water, bottles of cold water or iron tools. In such situations, it is also very important to avoid direct contact of the object with the skin, because you can introduce an unfavorable infection into the resulting wound area.

To eliminate excessively intense pain, you can take a non-steroidal painkiller.

Under no circumstances should heating the damaged area be allowed. Such manipulations do not improve, but only worsen the situation.

The jaws, the field of a cold compress, should be kept at rest (wrap with a bandage or other material at hand) and go for examination to the hospital, where the doctor will tell you in more detail about the treatment of the bruise.

Diagnostic methods

To identify existing damage and refute more severe injuries, the doctor performs the following diagnostic procedures:

  • Visual inspection of the area that has been subjected to increased mechanical stress;
  • Palpation of injured areas;
  • X-ray of the skull;
  • Magnetic resonance and computed tomography, ultrasound (in rare cases).

Based on the results of the study, the doctor describes in detail the method of caring for the injury and prescribes medications that speed up the process of treating the bruise.

Therapy technique

Treatment of an injury to the upper or lower jaw can be done at home. Doctors recommend keeping the damaged area at rest by applying a regular fixing bandage. To accelerate the resolution of hematomas, bruises and bruises, you can use cold compresses created with ordinary ice from the refrigerator. If abrasions, scratches or wounds have formed on the skin as a result of traumatic exposure, it would be advisable to treat them with antiseptic agents (iodine, brilliant green, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide) several times a day. It is possible to treat a bruise in the jaw area with pharmaceutical drugs. The following ointments and gels have proven themselves to be effective.