Sharp pain around the jaw after alcohol consumption

[MCurley]

For about 2 years now, I have noticed that after a glass of wine I experience a sharp pain around my jaw. I've had this sensation before whenever I eat a citris or sour fruit, however, lately after consuming any alcohol such as beer, wine, and margaritas, etc., I get this sharp, excruciating pain after just one glass. It hurts so badly, especially if I drink water. The moment the H2O hits the jaw part of my inner mouth, a burning sensation immediately follows. Now, here's the strange part, if I drink another glass of alcohol the pain will subside instantly. The pain will still return but will not be as painful as the prior time. I have read about Lymphoma, and I cannot say that I experience this pain any where else in my body, and I don't seem to experience any of the other symptoms. I'd appreciate any input in helping me come up with a solution for this. Someone told me that the solution was to either drink plenty or nothing at all in order to avoid this... ha ha. Anyway, one more thing... I don't think I have this problem with mixed drinks containing sodas and liquor.

[SedesGobhani]

I get the horrid intense pinching pain between the ear lobes and corner of the jaw when eat any kind of food after having any kind of alcohol.  If I drink after I eat the symptoms occur but less intense.  I'm going to research what someone else here said about "ectopic pancreatitis".

[SedesGobhani]

Strawberries are a natural source of salicylic acid, which causes some people the symptoms.  Search this thread for salicylic acid.

[mich7769]

For me its not so much as a pain, as much as it feels like electic shocks on nerve endingat the joint of my jaw bone near my ears. I normally experience this when I drink wine coolers.so I dont anymore. Now it happens occasionally when I just have an alcoholic beverage.  So what is it called?

[Michail22]

I have experienced such pain twice in my life. First time there was no alcohol involved at all. I was hiking at the mountain and I took too little water with me. I was hiking long time, all day long, 14 hours, and I was dehydrated. When I came home, totally exhausted and dead tired, I drink water (few glasses) took a bath and then set to eat. I was eating different things but when I tasted yogurt, incredible sharp pain hit my throat and all salivary glands. It was like fire, no warning at all! I stopped eating. It took 15 minutes before I tried to taste the food again. Everything on the table was OK, but the yogurt was causing the pain. I repeat, there was no alcohol a day before, no alcohol during the hiking, no alcohol during the dinner. The next day I wake up, still pain in my muscles, and I decided to eat a peach. The sharp pain hit again, but the intense was no so intense. Then after a few days, when my body recovered completely from tiredness, I could eat yogurt, peaches and everything normally. So, I think this is something with metabolism (in liver, kidney, pancreas, I don’t know, I just guess), clearly, no alcohol involved. Second time, it was alcohol involved. I was having fun, drinking vine brandy and eating salad of raw parsnips, daikon, beetroot, and carrot. I was not drinking water enough, so I was dehydrated. During the night it was OK, but the next morning I wake up exhausted and dead tired. When I tried to eat anything spiced, or crisp, or beer, the same sharp pain hit my throat and all salivary glands. I was drinking alcohol many times before, all kinds, including vine brandy too, but I’ve never experienced something like this. This time, the pain was in all jaw, i.e. in all salivary glands. I was worn out and in pain for 7 days. So, I think, the problem must be more complex than it seems. Maybe, some chemistry in other organs, driven by dehydration, or tiredness influences on body reaction.

[ChiSandy]

I’ve had this for 40+ years--so does my sister and so did my dad. Never happens if I drink without eating, but instead is a delayed reaction to the first ounce or two of acidic alcohol (beer, wine, champagne/cava/prosecco, margaritas, tequila sunrises, etc), about 15 min. into or after the accompanying meal. Happens with expensive wines too (even biodynamic ones w/o sulfites). Especially if I’ve gone a few days w/o alcohol, or if it’s been a long time between meals. Has never happened to me at multi-course dinners with wine pairings or on vacation in Europe, where eating & drinking go hand-in-hand at lunch, dinner, and after.  I figure it’s God’s way of telling me I’ve had enough alcohol for the day--I get to enjoy the taste but never drink enough to get buzzed (sounds weird, but I hate getting high). Never lasts long enough to be debilitating (toothaches, labor pains, fractures and back sprains are far worse).

[EdwardRe]

Amollette89 Posted a very telling piece of information a few years ago, but it seems to be burried, and many people have not noticed it. I have gone through similar pain for 4 years now, so I thought I would re-post her comment as I found it most helpful among everything here!
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The symptoms you describe here are almost certainly a form of "ectopic" pancreatitis. The cells of the Parotid salivary gland are very similar to those of the pancreas, and they respond to the same stimuli. The pancreas "hates" alcohol. It causes it to swell and leak its own enzymes, particularly amylase and this effectively starts the process of auto digestion. You are digesting your own tissue, hence the pain!! There is no cure and no treatment, just don't drink alcohol. The facial nerve also runs through the parotid gland and when swelling of the Parotid gland is triggered by a stimulus such as alcohol, this swelling can push on the facial nerve causing pain.
The symptoms may lessen if you eat when you drink as then the marjority of the amylase produced by the salivary gland is diverted to the stomach and GI tract to digest the food.