What Is Lumps On Jaw Bone?
Lump on jaw bone is one of the most common maladies. It affects around 30% of all cases. There are two types of lump: soft and hard. Soft lumps are located at the base of your nose or behind your ear; they may appear as small bumps or even as a mass with a raised edge. Hard lumps are located above your ear and include a bump in front of your eye, a hump on top of your head, or any other part of the face.
The cause of lump on jaw bone is not known. Some say it could be due to tumors growing inside the body, while others believe it could be caused by something called osteomyelitis. Osteomyelitis is inflammation of bones and joints caused by bacteria that live in the mouth or throat area. Other causes of lump on jaw bone include:
Tumors in the mouth or throat area
Bacteria from the mouth or throat causing infection in the jawbone (osteomyelitis)
A tumor affecting the bone or joint (osteosarcoma)
How Does Lump On Jaw Bone Affect Your Life?
There are various symptoms associated with lump on jaw bone. Some are extremely serious and could even be fatal. Others are more common and not as serious. Symptoms include:
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
Difficulty opening your mouth or chewing
Ear pain (otitis media)
Constant headaches and pain around eye or ear
Swelling under your chin
Fever
Pain when you touch or move your ear or jawbone area
Risk Factors Of Lumps On Jaw Bone?
There are various risk factors that could potentially cause you to develop lump on jaw bone. Risk factors include:
Diabetes
Smoking
Hereditary disease (osteomyelitis)
Poor dental hygiene (Caries)
If you have an autoimmune disorder or weakened immune system, such as a person with HIV, you are at greater risk of developing lump on jaw bone.
Diagnosing And Treating Lumps On Jaw Bone?
Treating a lump on jaw bone can be a long and drawn out process that can take months to fully diagnose and treat. There are various tests and scans that your doctor may order to determine what exactly the lump is. This may include an MRI or even a CAT scan. Your physician will then make a diagnosis of the lump after reviewing the results from the scan.
If your lump on jaw bone is a tumor, it can be further diagnosed into different categories. These categories include:
Benign
Pre-cancerous (abnormal cells that have not spread)
Malignant (cancerous cells that have spread)
If the lump is malignant, your physician will then determine what type of cancer you have based on its appearance and how far the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Your physician may also take a small tissue sample to examine it under a microscope.
Once the lump on jaw bone has been diagnosed, your physician will determine the best course of treatment to eliminate the cancerous cells. This may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery to completely remove the tumor or to cut out the affected area. Treating lump on jaw bone can be time-consuming and painful. During and after treatment you may experience side effects such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue and even pain.
It is important that you closely follow your physician’s orders while undergoing any type of treatment. This will help eliminate the chances of the cancer returning or spreading to other parts of the body. Speak to your physician if you have any questions or concerns about lump on jaw bone or any type of treatment that has been recommended to you.
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