Which sign is more characteristic of TMJ pain than referred otalgia?

• A. Jaw-specific signs and pain provoked by jaw movement.
• B. Ear fullness without jaw symptoms.
• C. Tinnitus unrelated to jaw movement.
• D. Dull headache unrelated to jaw movement.

Answer: (A)

TMJ pain is defined by its link to jaw function. When the temporomandibular joint is involved, movements of the jaw—opening, closing, chewing, or yawning—tend to provoke or reproduce the pain, and there are often jaw-specific signs such as tenderness over the TMJ, tenderness in the masticatory muscles, joint sounds (clicking or crepitus), or limited range of motion. Referred otalgia, by contrast, presents as ear-centered symptoms that are not tied to jaw movement, such as ear fullness or tinnitus, and lacks these jaw-provoked signs. Thus, the most characteristic sign of TMJ pain is pain that is provoked by jaw movement along with jaw-specific signs.