Facial Pain
Overview
Facial pain refers to discomfort in the face, commonly stemming from dental conditions, sinusitis, nerve disorders, or injuries. It can manifest as dull aches, sharp stabbing sensations, or throbbing headaches. Treatment involves addressing the underlying cause, utilizing medications, dental procedures, or surgical interventions. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for tailored management, ensuring relief from pain and improved daily functioning for individuals experiencing facial pain.
Symptoms associate with facial pain:
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Dull, Aching, Sharp or Stabbing Pain
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Throbbing Headaches
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Localized Pain
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Sensitivity to Touch
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Tooth or Jaw Pain
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Nerve-related Symptoms
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Temporal Pain
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Ear Pain
Causes of Facial pain
Facial pain can have various causes, ranging from mild and temporary issues to more severe and chronic conditions. Some common causes of facial pain include:
• Dental Problems: Toothaches, gum infections, or temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) can lead to facial pain.
• Sinusitis: Inflammation or infection of the sinuses can cause facial pain, often around the eyes, nose, and forehead.
• Trigeminal Neuralgia: A chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve, causing severe, stabbing facial pain.
• Cluster Headaches: Intense headaches that often occur on one side of the head, accompanied by severe facial pain.
• Neuropathic Pain: Conditions like postherpetic neuralgia (resulting from shingles) or other neuropathic disorders can cause facial pain.
• Temporal Arteritis: Inflammation of the temporal arteries, leads to facial pain, particularly in the temple area.
• Jaw Disorders: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or bruxism (teeth grinding) can cause facial pain, often near the jaw.
• Atypical Facial Pain: Chronic, persistent facial pain without an apparent cause.
• Tension-Type Headaches: Muscle tension and stress can lead to tension-type headaches, causing facial discomfort.
• Neck or Spine Issues: Conditions affecting the neck or spine, such as cervical arthritis, can radiate pain to the face.
Facial Pain Treatment Options
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Trigeminal Radio Frequancy Abliation.
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Botox Injection
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Epidural Injections.
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Trigger point injection.
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Neurolytic Blocks
Some quick information
Nerve blocks are one form of treatment that is highly effective in reducing facial pain. In all nerve block procedures for the face, a needle is used in various regions of the face to block nerve responses to pain. The procedures are designed to reduce or eliminate pain
Radiofrequency Ablation for Trigeminal Neuralgia in the face.
Trigeminal block – This procedure is a nerve block that involves numbing the skin on the face. A needle is inserted into one side of the face and is performed with the aid of x-ray assistance (fluoroscopy).
Ganglion block – Certain types of facial pain are responsive to a sphenopalatine ganglion block. This procedure is designed to numb a small group of nerves by placing a swab inside the nasal cavity. This procedure may provide temporary relief and if it is deemed a success and eliminates pain, then further procedures are discussed to keep the pain limited.
Our goal is to help the patient regain their quality of life
We relieve your pain, helping you be yourself again!
