I've had this problem since childhood when I used to get it when eating out at Chinese restaurants. I remember eating ice cream after the meal to dull the sensation. I assumed then it might have been monosodium glutamate - there was probably a lot of it in some Chinese food in restaurants in the 70s/80s. However, I now get it from red wine but only occasionally. It happens instantly I sip the wine. I presume there's no msg in wine but since the ingredients are never printed on the bottle it's hard to know what can be causing it. It would be great to get a definitive answer.
I believe I have an answer to this question, through my own research of the Parotid Gland.
Yes, this is caused by the Parotid Gland.
It is most likely NOT because alcohol is rushing down the duct, which seems to be the current theory here.
It does make sense that sour and acidic things causes the same pain.
The reason sour foods/drinks cause pain is because our salivary production increases in response to these items to neutralize the pH level in the mouth. Saliva is slightly basic. The pain is from the sudden surge of saliva coming through the ducts. This is why when you have a blocked salivary duct from a stone, you are supposed to swish with lemon juice or suck lemon candies. The increased saliva production tends to push these stones out of the duct into the mouth.
Therefore, alcohol (which is acidic) must be causing this similar reaction of saliva production. Most hard liquors are around a pH of 5 (some higher, some lower), and wines and beer around 3, which would logically cause a similar pH neutralizing response and saliva production increase as lemon juice or other acidic drinks.
I do not have a good answer for why this pain would occur later (say halfway through a drink) versus immediately like with acidic foods, except that maybe alcohol is not quite as acidic so the saliva response takes longer. I also wonder whether people experience this with acidic sodas like Coke, although maybe the carbonation helps reduce the pain. I haven't had soda in quite a while and don't recall if I react to it.
As for what would help the pain, I hypothesize that a watered down or weak drink would help because it would reduce the pH of the drink. Drinking water right after drinking alcohol would also help because it would help neutralize the pH in your mouth. Perhaps someone can extend my theory to address some of the other concerns that people had, such as certain foods that make the pain better or worse in conjunction with alcohol.
Hope this helps.
Yes, this is caused by the Parotid Gland.
It is most likely NOT because alcohol is rushing down the duct, which seems to be the current theory here.
It does make sense that sour and acidic things causes the same pain.
The reason sour foods/drinks cause pain is because our salivary production increases in response to these items to neutralize the pH level in the mouth. Saliva is slightly basic. The pain is from the sudden surge of saliva coming through the ducts. This is why when you have a blocked salivary duct from a stone, you are supposed to swish with lemon juice or suck lemon candies. The increased saliva production tends to push these stones out of the duct into the mouth.
Therefore, alcohol (which is acidic) must be causing this similar reaction of saliva production. Most hard liquors are around a pH of 5 (some higher, some lower), and wines and beer around 3, which would logically cause a similar pH neutralizing response and saliva production increase as lemon juice or other acidic drinks.
I do not have a good answer for why this pain would occur later (say halfway through a drink) versus immediately like with acidic foods, except that maybe alcohol is not quite as acidic so the saliva response takes longer. I also wonder whether people experience this with acidic sodas like Coke, although maybe the carbonation helps reduce the pain. I haven't had soda in quite a while and don't recall if I react to it.
As for what would help the pain, I hypothesize that a watered down or weak drink would help because it would reduce the pH of the drink. Drinking water right after drinking alcohol would also help because it would help neutralize the pH in your mouth. Perhaps someone can extend my theory to address some of the other concerns that people had, such as certain foods that make the pain better or worse in conjunction with alcohol.
Hope this helps.
I also sometimes have mild pain after drinking red wine...never thought to note whether it was while eating until reading all of these messages. This evening, however, I had the worst-pain-ever after some salty corn chips, spicy salsa, and cranberry/vodka. Hello acidity. It lasted longer than the usual 30 minutes in my right ear, and water barely helped. There may be something else going on in my case as I sometimes have pain in my right ear after talking on my cellie for too long (something else my friends and family all think is in my head-I should email them this link to clear my name on one count of hypochondria). But for today's episode, I couldn't tell whether saliva got in my saliva ducts, or the ducts were overwhelmed by the surge of saliva:) Someone mentioned having wisdom teeth removed might've enlarged the glands, or something to that effect. I have had mine removed. I also have an inflammation thing going.
Thank you for this post. I have been one of these sufferers for years. I used to be a soda drinker, it never has occurred when I drink soda. However, I have to warn anyone who suffers from this, but I'm sure they are already aware, drinking ANYTHING, including water when this is occurring only exacerbates the pain. It has to go away completely after about 10-15 minutes before you can have anything to drink or it makes it happen again.
It's bizarre and I am always bummed when it happens because it is not consistent, but it has only happened to me when I drink alcohol.
Hang on my brothers and sisters in excruciating jaw pain...maybe some day they'll have an answer and a remedy. My guess is that some of us our genetically predisposed and others are not, that's why some get it and some don't. Just like some people have the flap under the tongue, some don't, some have the attached ear lobe, some don't, etc...
It's bizarre and I am always bummed when it happens because it is not consistent, but it has only happened to me when I drink alcohol.
Hang on my brothers and sisters in excruciating jaw pain...maybe some day they'll have an answer and a remedy. My guess is that some of us our genetically predisposed and others are not, that's why some get it and some don't. Just like some people have the flap under the tongue, some don't, some have the attached ear lobe, some don't, etc...
What a relief to think that this is not only me! Has anyone found a way to make it go away quicker or indeed not come at all?
It is interesting that some people have it with so many drinks. I remember occasionally it happening with other drinks but not as many as some people have
I hopet hat if someone comes up with a cure they will share it with us all?
It is interesting that some people have it with so many drinks. I remember occasionally it happening with other drinks but not as many as some people have
I hopet hat if someone comes up with a cure they will share it with us all?
My son (7) often complains that blowing up balloons hurts his jaw. Once after trying to blow up a balloon, his glands under his ears swelled up so bad that I thought he had mumps. Two hours later however the swelling had gone down completely. His glands often swell up, and paediatricians have tested for all sorts of sinister reasons but found none. He also often complains of certain foods 'stinging' him. Not sure if this is the same thing...
very interesting problem. ive told my friends about this before after a few beers. i say, "oh man, i cant even finish this beer, my jaw hurts too much every time i take a swig." this of course leads to the usual jesting/ridicule. none of my friends believe me. i only get this from beer and wine. never hard alcohol. usually during or just after a meal. i always assumed i was somehow cursed, but its good to know that others out there are experiencing the same problem. usually, once the problem exists i cannot drink for the rest of the night (much to my dismay). maybe someday this problem will be properly diagnosed and a proper cure/remedy will be found.
It's your submandibular gland
Wow! Amazed to find so many people suffer from this.
submandibular gland stones sounds the most likely. If you read the stories (and from my personal experience) some folks talk about this starting even before they actually drink. It can't be a substance is that happens. It must be your body preparing for the food. Obviously strong tasting foods will affect you more as more saliva is produced. The pain comes from the attempt to push the asliva through the blockage.
I'm no doctor but this makes sense to me.
I also had/have the balloon problem! I thought I was just weird. :-D
Anyone know how to break down/ get rid of these stones without surgery? Actually, if I had it since I was a kid, I doubt there is much I can do now.
What I don't get though is why it hurts more if I laugh.
submandibular gland stones sounds the most likely. If you read the stories (and from my personal experience) some folks talk about this starting even before they actually drink. It can't be a substance is that happens. It must be your body preparing for the food. Obviously strong tasting foods will affect you more as more saliva is produced. The pain comes from the attempt to push the asliva through the blockage.
I'm no doctor but this makes sense to me.
I also had/have the balloon problem! I thought I was just weird. :-D
Anyone know how to break down/ get rid of these stones without surgery? Actually, if I had it since I was a kid, I doubt there is much I can do now.
What I don't get though is why it hurts more if I laugh.
I have this and have had it for about 10 years. Not my whole life though. Blowing up ballons is a good discription of the pain because most everyone has felt that pain. Even those people that dont have this issue. I have some fillings (in all 4 back 2nd molars)that are metalic and I wonder how many other people have fillings like them with this problem. All 4 wisdome teeth (3rd molars)are pulled. The pain is also compairable to the feeling I get when I bite into foil. No, I dont regularly do this but it feels almost the same. Red wine and champaign are the biggest culprits but I also have had it happen with many other drinks. I tested the food theory the other day with red wine. Couldnt drink more than 4ml wihout pain and rinsing with water helped. No food and the same bottle of wine the next day and there was no issues.
I bring up the foil because of the voltaic effect. This is how that works.
1.pressure from biting brings two dissimilar metals (aluminum foil, mercury in fillings or gold in crowns) in contact in a moist, salty environment (saliva)
2.the two metals have an electrochemical potential difference or voltage across them
3.electrons flow from the foil into the tooth (i.e. electrical current)
4.the current gets conducted into the tooth's root, usually by the filling or crown
5.the current sets off a nerve impulse in the root's nerve
6.the nerve impulse is sent to the brain
7.the brain interprets the impulse as pain
Do some beverages have the ability to do this? Does food being pressed on the fillings allow for this reaction to start? I will test this tonight with wine. Cant belive Im doing this to myself on purpose.
Thanks everyone,
Travis
I bring up the foil because of the voltaic effect. This is how that works.
1.pressure from biting brings two dissimilar metals (aluminum foil, mercury in fillings or gold in crowns) in contact in a moist, salty environment (saliva)
2.the two metals have an electrochemical potential difference or voltage across them
3.electrons flow from the foil into the tooth (i.e. electrical current)
4.the current gets conducted into the tooth's root, usually by the filling or crown
5.the current sets off a nerve impulse in the root's nerve
6.the nerve impulse is sent to the brain
7.the brain interprets the impulse as pain
Do some beverages have the ability to do this? Does food being pressed on the fillings allow for this reaction to start? I will test this tonight with wine. Cant belive Im doing this to myself on purpose.
Thanks everyone,
Travis
I get the same thing when i drink cheap tequila.
IE cheap margarita's or mixed drinks.. Only had it happen from a shot once.
It MAY be genetic, as my mom has the exact same problem with Tequilla.
As the above person stated, it does tend to happen with citric drinks, lemons... limes... etc
I can drink Vodka, Rum, Whiskey, Sake' without problems. I can also drink Patron Silver and Blue Aguave tequilla's no problems. Cuervo seems to be ok when I do shots.
It's just cheap well liquor that makes my cheeks burn like i just blew up 1000 balloons.
IE cheap margarita's or mixed drinks.. Only had it happen from a shot once.
It MAY be genetic, as my mom has the exact same problem with Tequilla.
As the above person stated, it does tend to happen with citric drinks, lemons... limes... etc
I can drink Vodka, Rum, Whiskey, Sake' without problems. I can also drink Patron Silver and Blue Aguave tequilla's no problems. Cuervo seems to be ok when I do shots.
It's just cheap well liquor that makes my cheeks burn like i just blew up 1000 balloons.
yeah! I feel it too! but rarely! most of the time when I drink sweet beer(the one with lemon and that doesn't taste like beer at all)
I can't believe how many people get this. I, too, get a sharp shooting pain when I'm drinking wine and eating. It is usually pretty early in the day when this happens. My husband and I go to brunch with his family once a month. We enjoy a bottle of wine. Like clockwork, after a few sips and a few bites of food, I get this shooting pain on the sides of my mouth, below the ears, where I have to kind of just grab my jaw and hold it and maybe open and close my mouth until the pain goes away. Once it does, I'm fine until the second that next sip touches my mouth. It seems like most people experience this pain while they are eating and after not eating for a while before that, right?
Can't believe I stumbled on this thread! I'm 43 and I've experienced this randomly since I was a kid, usually eating sour candy. Once I started drinking alcohol as an adult it started happening once in a blue moon. Well, I was out at the pub tonight, had a burger and fries and a pint of the same hoppy micorobrew I always drink and TWANG, it was the worst ever, but subsided after about 15 minutes. I'm on board with the salivary gland hypothesis. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with age, gender (female) or ethnicity (Northern European Caucasian). Just tonight I realized that I usually only get it if I drink after I've eaten - never if I drink without food or before food. I've had this happen with wine, beer and some mixed drinks. I thinks it's just one of those freaky things - like having an extra digit.
Wow... good to know I'm not alone. Happens to me about every 3 out of 5 times I drink. My remedy is to pop in a piece of gum. Hurts like hell for a minute, but then is gone for the night.