Facial pain is a generic term that covers any pain felt in the mouth, jaw or face. Facial pain or oral facial pain is a common symptom and there are many causes behind it. The vast majority of facial pain, 95%, is caused by dental causes. The second most common cause is temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Other causes are very rare and a full diagnosis by a doctor should be obtained before drawing any conclusions. If you have any dental problems then you can consult your dentist and they can prescribe some medication for you. In addition to this, if you are experiencing some muscle pain in your face, then you can also contact your doctor for better treatment.
Disease Overview.
Trigeminal neuralgia or facial pain is an inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, which causes a lot of pain as well as spasms in the facial muscles. The attacks are intense and feel like electric shocks are being administered. If you suffer from these problems then you should consult your doctor who can perform some MRI’s or scans of your painful area and determine the exact problem.
Symptoms of facial pain.
As mentioned above, patients often say they have a sensation like pins and needles that later turns into a burning pain or electric shock, and these attacks can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. Even normal everyday activities can trigger episodes of facial pain. Many sufferers are sensitive to certain trigger areas of the face that are close to the lips, nose, eyes and ears or the inside of the mouth. They avoid eating, talking, kissing or drinking. Another form of the condition exists in which there is a constant and dull burn or pain in the face, a condition that is more difficult to treat.
How will you recover from facial pain?
When a patient experiences facial pain, a primary care physician or dentist is usually consulted first to determine the problem. If further assessment is required, it is recommended that a neurologist or neurosurgeon be consulted. They will examine your face and touch various trigger areas to determine exactly where the pain is occurring, as it is spreading from one source.
The doctor needs to find out which branch of the trigeminal nerve is affected. It is very rare for the underlying cause of facial pain to be severe. However, to rule out the possibility of multiple sclerosis or a tumour, an MRI or MRI scan is required. The diagnosis is made after carefully weighing up the symptoms, as the condition can be very debilitating.
Treatment of facial pain.
There are various treatments for facial pain, including medication, needling, surgery and even needle surgery such as radiation.
- 1Medications: Over-the-counter medications are ineffective and not recommended. Anticonvulsants such as Trileptal, Dilantin, Lyrica or Neurontin do well. Muscle relaxants like baclofen are also a good choice, but you will need a doctor’s prescription due to side effects such as drowsiness and confusion.
- Surgery: This is done when medication does not stop or relieve the problem. The aim is to stop the blood vessel from pressing on the trigeminal nerve, which is sometimes cut to stop it sending painful symptoms to the brain. The procedure will be done under general anaesthetic and usually requires a 2-3 day stay in hospital.
MVD or Microvascular Decompression uses a sponge to pad the blood vessels, this sponge is left in the brain after surgery. MVD has been seen to be successful in providing immediate relief in approximately 95% of facial pain cases.
