Ever felt a sharp, stabbing sensation, or a dull, persistent ache in your face? It may also be described as burning, throbbing, or electric shock-like sensation that could also affect your jaw and nose area. While there could be several underlying causes behind it, one of them may be linked to your brain. In an interaction with the OnlyMyHealth team, Dr Rajnish Kumar, Senior Consultant and Head Neurology, Paras Health Gurugram, explains the association and lists the common symptoms that should not be missed.
The Link Between Facial Pain And Brain
According to Dr Kumar, the facial pain linked to the brain can be caused by a condition called trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensations from face to the brain.
Dr Kumar explains, “It [trigeminal nerve] has three branches on each of the head connecting to the eyes, upper jaw, and lower jaw. This nerve controls functions such as biting, chewing, and swallowing. When this nerve gets pressed by a blood vessel, it leads to the condition of trigeminal neuralgia.”
According to a study published in the Journal Current Neuropharmacology, trigeminal neuralgia affects an estimated 0.03-0.3% of people around the world, with a higher prevalence among women than men (around a 3:1 ratio).
While rare, the condition most often occurs in people above 50 years of age, says Dr Kumar.
“Some common causes include injury from accident, sinus infection, migraine, muscle pain, mental or emotional stress, and many more. Trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by shaving, eating, drinking, brushing teeth, talking, smiling, and various other activities depending on the cause,” he adds.
Symptoms Of Trigeminal Neuralgia
Some of the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia include:
- Stabbing pain in the face, which is very difficult to bear, or episodes of pain triggered by touching the face, chewing, talking, laughing, or brushing teeth
- Facial spasm that can last up to a few seconds to several minutes
- Pain that can persist for weeks, months and even years
- Pain in the cheeks, jaws, teeth, gums, nose area, forehead, and eyes
Dr Kumar says, “It [the pain] may start from one point and gradually spread to other parts of the face and sometimes it may affect only one side of the face. This pain occurs most often at night while sleeping or while laying down. If this pain is unbearable, prolonged, or recurring and not relieved by over-the-counter medicines, one must consult a doctor for proper treatment.”
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Other Causes Of Facial Pain
Besides trigeminal neuralgia, chronic facial pain that affects the jaws, eyes, ears, nose area, and cheeks can be caused by some other reasons as well. These include:
- Psychological issues faced by a person, including depression, anxiety, and other mental or emotional stress
- Blood vessel inflammation
- Chronic sinusitis
- Dental issues
- Headaches
- Nose or throat cancer
- Pain in muscles
- Problems in the jaw
- Infections, allergies, eye problems
- Side effects of medications
“The condition of facial pain is complex as it has many causes and triggers. Therefore, it is important to get diagnosed to find out the precise cause and get specific and timely treatment, concludes Dr Kumar.