Have you ever experienced a sharp, jabbing pain on one side of your face? Does your face tingle or hurt when you brush your teeth or put makeup on?
Facial pain is generally a common symptom of an injury or headaches. However, it may also be the cause of an underlying serious medical condition like chronic sinusitis. Here’s why your face might be paining.
While experiencing any form of facial pain, you may have different sensations on your face depending on what is causing it. More often than not, it may be due to nerve damage, muscle weakness, or headaches. Symptoms you may experience are:
If chronic facial pain persists in young adults, seek immediate medical attention.
Some of the common causes of facial pain are:
However, sometimes, facial pain may also be caused due to severe nerve damage in your face. This condition is called Trigeminal Neuralgia or tic douloureux.
Trigeminal Neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal, or 5th cranial nerve that is responsible for carrying sensations from your face to your brain. The trigeminal nerves further branch out into three to perform specialised functions. The disorder can affect any of the three nerve branches, thereby causing pain only on one side of your face.
In Trigeminal Neuralgia, a blood vessel may be damaging your trigeminal nerve, or you may have a medical condition called Multiple Sclerosis. It may also be caused due to tumour or tangled arteries that put pressure on your nerves, or due to an injury or surgery that has caused nerve damage.
Trigeminal Neuralgia may initially exhibit short and mild attacks. However, it is a progressive condition and can worsen over time, especially in women above the age of 50. A family history of high blood pressure may also put you at risk.
Summary: Trigeminal Neuralgia is a chronic pain condition in your facial nerves that can cause electric-shock like pain on one side of your face.
Most mild facial pain or facial tension can be managed with some simple home remedies. You can:
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