Under Chin Muscle Cramps: Cause, Treatment And Prevention

Many people around the world suffer from under chin muscle cramps, which can be a lot painful sometimes. When you suffer from this condition, the muscles under your chin are in constant atrophy and at risk of spasming out. Moreover, you get a sensation that your jaw is about to lock up. This condition is also known as Trismus. If you suffer from this condition, there is a chance that you have developed under chin lump from all the cramping and spasming. In this blog, we will take a look at the causes, treatment, and prevention of under chin muscle cramp. 

What Are Under Chin Muscle Cramps: Trismus

When you get under chin muscle cramps, your jaw becomes so tight that you cannot even open your mouth properly, It happens when there are spasms in your temporomandibular joint. They are also known as Trismus. It occurs as a side effect or withdrawal symptom of head or neck cancer. Healthcare providers treat trismus by providing medications and physical therapy. 

How Do Under Chin Muscle Cramps Affect Your Body

Although muscle cramps under the chin or Trismus are not a very serious issue, they can transform into something much more than that if left untreated. Normally, Trismus makes opening your jaw a little hard. Usually, our mouth opens 40 to 60 millimetres, however, in the case of Trismus, that number decreases to 20 to 35 millimetres. This makes speaking and eating food difficult. Usually, the symptoms subside within a few weeks, but some chronic cases of under chin muscle cramps can also cause depression. 

Causes Of Under Chin Muscle Cramps

A long list of conditions and medical issues can cause Trismus. However, the most common cause of under chin muscle cramps is a temporomandibular disorder or TMD. Some other causes of Trismus are as follows:

• Inflammatory Conditions: You may develop trismus if you have inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and Scleroderma. The condition affects your temporomandibular joint, which causes under chin muscle cramps. 
• Infections: Many infectious diseases like mumps and tonsillitis can trigger symptoms of under chin muscle cramps. These conditions directly affect your temporomandibular joint and can cause Trismus. 
• Trauma: You can also develop Trismus if you get hit in your jaw. Getting hit in the jaw may cause damage to your temporomandibular joint which can result in Trismus. 
• Peritonsillar Abscess (PTA): Many people with Tonsillitis develop Peritonsillar Abscesses, a puss-filled lump near your tonsils under your neck. Some people call it under chin lump, but when it really is, one of the causes of under chin muscle cramps. 
• Tilting Head Forward: Another reason for under chin muscle cramps is tilting your head forward. After sitting for hours in the office, watching TV or playing video games, your neck and shoulders get stressed. This stress travels to your jaw muscle, which starts cramping up. This can also cause you some pain. 
• Lack of Water: Drinking water is really very important because water can cure and prevent many diseases. When our body is low on water, our muscles start cramping up. Drinking water is one of the best ways to get rid of cramps.

Some Treatments For Under Chin Muscle Cramps

There are many treatments for Trismus; healthcare professionals perform a few, while others you can do all at home.  

Health Care Professional’s Treatment 

The first thing any health care professional does is take care of the underlying issue that can be partly responsible for this issue you are experiencing. Some other treatments include:

Muscle Relaxant: Healthcare professionals can prescribe medication. It will ease the stress and pain and will help relax your neck muscles. 

Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is another treatment that you can expect from your health care providers. They might recommend some exercises that stretch the tight muscles in your jaw.  

Treatment At Home

There are also certain things that you can do at your home in order to get rid of the problem or ease the symptoms. Here are the best home treatments for Trismus:

Rest Your Jaw: Exhaustion in the jaw muscles can cause under chin muscle cramps and one of the ways you can help it is by relaxing your jaw and the muscles as a result. 

Avoid Chewy Foods: Avoiding food that is hard or chewy is another treatment that you can do at your home. 

Improve Posture: Posture is something that is the reason for most of the problems in your back, neck and shoulders and it can also cause trismus. So, improving your posture can be the key. Maintain a straight posture, with a straight neck, while doing activities like watching TV, working on a PC or laptop, playing games, etc. 

Heat Therapy: Another treatment for under chin muscle cramps is heat therapy. Prepare a hot towel and put it under your chin or jaw for 15 to 20 minutes. This will release the tension from muscles, which will help you in your condition. 

Take Proper Measures To Cure The Condition

Under chin muscle cramps can turn into a serious issue if left untreated. So, make sure that you get the perfect and the best treatment. You can also perform a few home treatments to ease the pain and subdue the symptoms. However, we recommend that you consult a doctor as soon as you experience anything like this. The best course of action will be to visit a doctor, get the prescription, and take the medications, along with some home treatments.