Neurological diseases >>>> Trismus - what is it?

Trismus - what is it?

Tonic convulsions that reduce the chewing muscles are called "trismus". With trismus, the jaws are clenched with great force, which makes it impossible to open them and disrupts the movement in the temporomandibular joint, which opens and closes the mouth.

The reasons for the development of trismus lie in the area of irritation (reflex or as a result of a disease) of the branches of the trigeminal nerve, which innervates the chewing muscles.

Trismus as a sign occurs in severe diseases such as epilepsy, tetanus, pseudobulbar palsy, trigeminal neuralgia, meningitis, with trauma and brain tumors, with injuries of the lower jaw.

Trismus can develop at the time of an attack of hysteria or be the result of a side effect of antipsychotic drugs. Inflammatory processes in the tissues of the oral cavity, extending to the periodontium, bone and muscle tissue, can cause trismus.

Muscle trismus can occur as a complication of mandibular anesthesia (analgesia of the branch of the trigeminal nerve that innervates the lower jaw) along with contractures of the masticatory muscles. But unlike the contracture of the masticatory muscles, with trismus, the masticatory muscles have a maximum degree of tension, which makes them hard to the touch, while the teeth of both jaws are tightly closed.

Trismus is a serious condition in which the ability to eat, speak and sometimes full breathing (provided that breathing with the mouth is predominant) is impaired.

Treatment for trismus consists in treating the disease or disorders that provoked it. According to this tactic, in case of trismus caused by inflammation and infection, antimicrobial drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs are used, and the source of the infection is localized and eliminated. Trismus caused by reflex muscle spasm on a nervous basis or due to complications after mandibular anesthesia is relieved by antispasmodics, sedatives, and physiotherapy procedures of a warming nature. Medicines for trismus are injected.

In no case should you independently treat trismus:

try to open the jaws forcibly - the jaws will not open, but additional injuries are possible (fractures of the teeth, fractures of the jaw),
to cool or warm up muscles at home - you can complicate a simple inflammation with a purulent process and not solve the main problem.

A dentist and / or a neurologist are doctors who need to be consulted for a trismus of the jaw.