RA can affect your temporomandibular joint. I had that problem several times, and it evolved to clicking and soreness when moving my jaw.

TMJ disorder, which is muscular, affects the same area, and heat (or cold) can help relieve the pain.

ditto to budda...the joints in your jaw are affected by RA and become swollen and painful. I have a lot of trouble eating when it happens.

Thanks, guys for that info. After about 10 weeks with no flares until the jaw, I now have a very painful knee today. I had forgotten just how painful RA can be.

Take care and keep well

Angelpuss,

I have also over the years had this discomfort...I have taken my painpills, taken a ice pack and gotten into a lavendar bath to help simmer down the pain in my jaw... sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't... it is all the matter of the timing and how far into the flare you get...

Remember not too much ICE only 20 mins on 20 mins off for 2 hours MAX...

Good luck because the jaw pain rots.... Had my wisdom teeth out in Novermber still have severe nerve pain that won't heal because of an active flare so I can empathize with you right now...

TMJ is a definite issue. Until I got my RA biologic, I had it very badly. I still have issues because of the damage in my jaw, and have to wear a night guard because I grind my teeth. I hate that thing. Most of the people I know with RA have TMJ. My advice is to seek better medication.

If you find one day you can't talk, and you don't have a cold, watch out for an RA nodule on the vocal folds. Mine got to the point where I could hardly swallow. My cousin actually died, because the nodule got so big it closed up her throat, and she had hypoxia. Fortunately for her, she was in the ER at the time, and they were able to restart her heart, and give her a trache. It is permanent, and she has to have it cleaned twice daily by a professional health aide. She was not taking any meds except prednisone at the time, having had RA for 55 years. She now takes mthx, and has not had a recurrence.

This disease attacks in all sorts of strange places, and you never know from one day to the next where it will strike.

Angela is so right this disease is nasty on a lot more than you realize...and it can cause you to develope multiple other Auto Immune disease...So always talk to your doctor about any new symptom or development...

Thanks Tessa and Angela for your comments.
Just one more thing to add to the mix.
tessa, I diarise all the pain and swelling and take that to my GP and Rheumatologis. That way, I don't forget to tell him anything.I agree, Angela, you never know where RA will strike next

My degree s in skin care so my advice is...don't put ice directly on your face, use a damp cloth in between to buffer the chill. It may or may not be an important issue for you, but it can cause undue stress on your capillaries and leave permanent red veins that would take several laser treatments to help it get back under control. I'm sure at times that's the least of your worries, however if it would bother you, you now know how keep from damaging your skin. Hope this helps? ~b

I have problems with my jaw too -- usually triggered by an increase in stress. I use a rice bag warmed up in the microwave and apply that to my jaw and neck. When that joint is painful, I also stick to a fairly soft food diet and seek out massage therapy.

Good luck and I hope it feels better soon.