Jaw swelling Assessment Questionnaire

Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques to assess the symptom: Jaw swelling. These will include a physical examination and possibly diagnostic tests. (Note: A physical exam is always done, diagnostic tests may or may not be performed depending on the suspected condition) Your doctor will ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to openly share any pertinent information to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

It is also very important to bring an up-to-date list of all of your all medical conditions, medications including dosages, and names of numbers of any specialist you see.

Create your printable checklist by answering questions that your doctor may ask below:

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How long have you had jaw swelling?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
It is unilateral or bilateral?
Why: bilateral jaw joint pain may be more suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthrritis.
History of trauma to the jaw?
Why: may suggest fractured jaw or dislocated jaw.
Recent dental extraction?
Why: may indicate cause of jaw swelling or possible Actinomycosis infection of the jaw joint which causes localized swelling of the lower jaw.
Past medical history?
Why: some medical conditions may affect the temporomandibular joint e.g. osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis; Sjogren's syndrome may be associated with many systemic conditions such as Raynaud's phenomenon, difficulty in swallowing (as seen in systemic sclerosis), painful joints (like that seen with systemic lupus erythematosus), thyroid disease, myasthenia gravis, primary biliary cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis, renal diabetes insipidus, renal tubular acidosis and vasculitis.
Alcohol history?
Why: if alcohol abuse may indicate alcohol associated parotitis.
Jaw pain?
Abnormalities of teeth or gums (such as gum or tooth pain)?
Why: may suggest referred pain from dental caries, gingivitis, oral tumors or alveolar abscess.
Symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction?
Why: e.g. pain felt over the jaw joint and localized to the region of the ear but may radiate forwards to the cheek and even the neck; pain and limitation of jaw movements especially on opening the mouth, clicking and crackling in the jaw joint with movement.
Symptoms of Primary Sjogren's syndrome?
Why: e.g. dry eyes, dryness of the mouth, skin or vagina; enlargement of the salivary and parotid glands (just in front of the ear). This syndrome may be associated with many systemic conditions such as Raynaud's phenomenon, difficulty in swallowing (as seen in systemic sclerosis), painful joints (like that seen with systemic lupus erythematosus), thyroid disease, myasthenia gravis, primary biliary cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis, renal diabetes insipidus, renal tubular acidosis and vasculitis.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis?
Why: e.g. joint pain, swelling, deformity and morning stiffness. It may also cause a number of systemic symptoms including carpal tunnel syndrome, anemia and enlarged spleen.

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Jaw swelling:

The following list of conditions have 'Jaw swelling' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Jaw swelling or choose View All.

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