What Is Causing My Face Pain?

What Is Causing My Face Pain?

Face pain can be caused by the following conditions:

1. Dental problems
2. Trigeminal neuralgia(TN)
3. TMJ/TMD
4. Sinus Problems

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal Neuralgia(TN) is marked by severe electrical pain that one feels on the face jaw or teeth. Normally when people suffer from this they describe the pain as suicidal. This is no ordinary ache.  This is severe pain. When it strikes it can be so severe that it drops the individual to their knees.  It is usually episodic but in severe cases can be continual.  Runny eyes often associate the pain.  Brushing the teeth, stroking the cheek and other minor activities can trigger an “attack” when someone suffers from TN.

Tempo Mandibular Joint/Tempo Mandibular Dysfunction

TMJ/TMD is a condition that affects the jaw joint. It is characterized by clicking, popping, and pain focused next to the ear. Sometimes the pain can also radiate into the face and can be accompanied by pain on the side of the head where the temporalis muscle is located.  People with TMJ also often complain that their teeth do not line up properly. It is often triggered by eating hard foods such as candy or chewing on ice.

Sinus Problems and Facial Pain

Sinus problems can make you feel miserable. They can also be related to facial pain. Because the sinus membranes become swollen they refer pain to the face. Sinus trouble can cause pain over the eyes, over the cheekbones, or near the jaw joint.  It there is an infection it can also cause sharp shooting pains that feel like its in your face. Chronic Sinus problems are a common source of face pain but can easily be distinguished from TN, TMJ and dental problems.

How Do All Of These Conditions Relate To The Neck?

Trigeminal Neuralgia, TMJ/TMD and sinus problems all can be caused by an Upper Cervical Injury.  Let's discuss how upper cervical injury can relate to these common chronic health conditions.

The upper cervical spine is the weakest link in the spine. Simultaneously it is neurologically the most important. As we go through life it is common for people to suffer trauma. Whiplash trauma, sports injuries, slip, and fall accidents and others can misalign the top two bones in the neck. 

If one of the locks out of its normal position it can interfere with the nervous system. Irritation to the nervous system can create dysfunction anywhere in the body. In the case of TMJ, the altered muscle tone of the mastication muscles is controlled in the brain-stem. Trigeminal Neuralgia is caused by interference to the 5th cranial nerve which is housed in the brain-stem. The sinus membrane is controlled by neurology that comes out of the brain-stem also.