The Impact of Chronic Cervico-Cranio-Mandibular Pain on Daily Life

Cephalalgia related to Chronic cervico-cranio-mandibular pain (CCCP) tends to reduce the quality of life of the patients since it impacted on their ability to function effectively and normally, and left them with chronic headache, neck, and jaw pain, tiredness, and depression.

Introduction:

Neck, head and jaw pains is a description of cranio-mandibular pain that, unlike most pains, usually persists for quite some time. This condition can be worst to an extent that it influences total functioning of an individual, hence health both physical and mental. They have not been able to determine the exact factors which cause this condition but the manifestation and effects as well as measures that will help control this condition shall be described in this article.

Understanding Chronic Cervico-Cranio-Mandibular Pain

It is also possible to understand what chronic cervico-cranio-mandibular pain is to determine the effects of cervico-cranio-mandibular pain or dysfunction: this pain may be due to pathological alterations of muscles and their spasms or alterations of joints and irritation of nerve at the gluteal tendon insertion zone or at the sciatic nerve.

People who experience this sort of pain may present with a host of other hurts including head, neck, jaw, and sometimes even the shoulder blades and upper spinal region. These symptoms are vague and can be manifested in various forms and at various degrees as far as the development of other adjacent symptoms which include chewing, speaking as well as sleeping disorders are concerned.

Causes of Chronic Pain

Cervico-cranio-mandibular pain can be of chronic nature and its causes may be multiple. Some common contributors include:

1. Muscle Tension: Tension at work, and stress, and anxiety in general, can cause tension in the neck and jaws. If people have stress, they may without noticing it, teeth clenched tightly or shoulders tensed and this causes pain.
2. Poor Posture: Sitting for extended periods in front of a computer or while using a smartphone leads to neck and jaw problems. Posture deficiencies cause unequal muscle development and contribute to the chronic pains.
3. Injury: People who have had prior neck or jaw injuries like whiplash or any other form of injury, may continuously experience pain down the ailment.
4. Jaw Disorders: Chronic illnesses such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder may specifically impact the jaw leading to a headache that spreads to the neck.
5. Dental Issues: If the teeth or jaws are not properly aligned, they will move the jaw and neck in a way that will result in chronic headache or neck pain.
6. Underlying Health Conditions: Injury related pathologies, and habitual activities or postures are considered to initiate cervico-cranio-mandibular pain; however, medical conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or migraines can also cause chronic pain in the region.

Symptoms and Their Impact on Daily Life

The symptoms of chronic cervico-cranio-mandibular pain can vary widely among individuals, but common symptoms include:

• Persistent Headaches: Headaches are very common to most individuals and can at times be severe or chronic. These headaches worsen cognition and impair activities of daily living, vocational, and social functioning.
• Neck Pain: Neck pain can be crippling in the long-term, and can make functions as simple as turning the head or looking upwards uncomfortable. This can impact working, driving and recreations.
• Jaw Pain: It limits easy chewing and can even lead to speech complications making it hard to speak fluently. This creates uncomfortable sensations that some people may try to avoid particular eaten meals or definite situations.
• Fatigue: Chronic pain can be tiring, so much so that the sufferer becomes both mentally and physically tired. This fatigue produces, therefore, certain effects which include; poor productivity, lack of motivation needed in getting through the day.
• Sleep Disturbances: Hyperalgesia can aim to be devastating for sleep quality and interrupt the sleep-wake cycle by causing insomnia. Sleep deprivation will also make a person feel more sensitive about the pain he or she may be enduring and emotional upset.

Altogether the mentioned symptoms can be life-disrupting to the point that an affected person cannot live a regular life. Those tasks, which used to produce pleasure or were just simple and easy, may turn into a chore or an act that cannot be done at all.

Read complete article here: https://www.asianhhm.com/articles/the-impact-of-chronic-cervico-cranio-mandibular-pain-on-daily-life

Samir Redzepagic, MD, Public Health Officer, Monash Public Health