BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuFace painFace pain may be dull and throbbing or an intense, stabbing discomfort in the face or forehead. It can occur in one or both sides. Causes Pain that starts in the face may be caused by a nerve problem, injury, or infection. Face pain may also begin in other places in the body. Abscessed tooth (ongoing throbbing pain on one side of the lower face that gets worse with eating or touching) Abscessed toothA tooth abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cluster headache Cluster headacheA cluster headache is an uncommon type of headache. It is one-sided head pain that may involve tearing of the eyes, a droopy eyelid, and a stuffy no...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Herpes zoster (shingles) or herpes simplex (cold sores) infection Herpes zosterShingles is a painful, blistering skin rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, a member of the herpes family of viruses. This is the viru...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Injury to the face Migraine MigraineA migraine is a type of headache. It may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound. In most people, a throbbi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Myofascial pain syndrome Sinusitis or sinus infection (dull pain and tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones that gets worse when you bend forward) SinusitisSinusitis is present when the tissue lining the sinuses become swollen or inflamed. It occurs as the result of an inflammatory reaction or an infect...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tic douloureux (trigeminal neuralgia) Tic douloureuxTrigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a nerve disorder. It causes a stabbing or electric shock-like pain in parts of the face.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome Sometimes the reason for the face pain is unknown. Home Care Your treatment will be based on the cause of your pain. Painkillers may provide temporary relief. If the pain is severe or does not go away, contact your health care provider or dentist. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if:Face pain is accompanied by chest, shoulder, neck, or arm pain. This could mean a heart attack. Call 911 or your local emergency number. Heart attackMost heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pain is throbbing, worse on one side of the face, and aggravated by eating. Contact a dentist. Pain is persistent, unexplained, or accompanied by other unexplained symptoms. Contact your primary provider. What to Expect at Your Office Visit If you have an emergency condition (such as a possible heart attack), you will first be stabilized. Then, the provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and do a physical exam. You will be referred to a dentist for tooth problems. You may have the following tests: Dental x-rays (if a tooth problem is suspected) Dental x-raysDental x-rays are a type of image of the teeth and mouth. X-rays are a form of high energy electromagnetic radiation. The x-rays penetrate the body...Read Article Now Book Mark Article ECG (if heart problems are suspected) ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tonometry (if glaucoma is suspected) TonometryTonometry is a test to measure the pressure inside your eyes. The test is used to screen for glaucoma. It is also used to measure how well glaucoma...Read Article Now Book Mark Article GlaucomaGlaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can damage the optic nerve. This nerve sends the images you see to your brain. Most often, optic nerve da...Read Article Now Book Mark Article X-rays of the sinusesX-rays of the sinusesA skull x-ray is a picture of the bones surrounding the brain, including the facial bones, the nose, and the sinuses.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Neurological tests will be performed if nerve damage could be a problem.Open ReferencesReferencesGarza I, Robertson CE, Smith JH, Whealy MA. Headache and other craniofacial pain. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 102.Digre KB. Headaches and other head pain. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 367.AllVideoImagesTogA Closer Look Back pain and sciatica - InDepth(In-Depth)Self Care Warning signs and symptoms of heart diseaseRelated Information Review Date: 7/8/2023 Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Face painFace pain may be dull and throbbing or an intense, stabbing discomfort in the face or forehead. It can occur in one or both sides. Causes Pain that starts in the face may be caused by a nerve problem, injury, or infection. Face pain may also begin in other places in the body. Abscessed tooth (ongoing throbbing pain on one side of the lower face that gets worse with eating or touching) Abscessed toothA tooth abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cluster headache Cluster headacheA cluster headache is an uncommon type of headache. It is one-sided head pain that may involve tearing of the eyes, a droopy eyelid, and a stuffy no...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Herpes zoster (shingles) or herpes simplex (cold sores) infection Herpes zosterShingles is a painful, blistering skin rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, a member of the herpes family of viruses. This is the viru...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Injury to the face Migraine MigraineA migraine is a type of headache. It may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound. In most people, a throbbi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Myofascial pain syndrome Sinusitis or sinus infection (dull pain and tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones that gets worse when you bend forward) SinusitisSinusitis is present when the tissue lining the sinuses become swollen or inflamed. It occurs as the result of an inflammatory reaction or an infect...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tic douloureux (trigeminal neuralgia) Tic douloureuxTrigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a nerve disorder. It causes a stabbing or electric shock-like pain in parts of the face.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome Sometimes the reason for the face pain is unknown. Home Care Your treatment will be based on the cause of your pain. Painkillers may provide temporary relief. If the pain is severe or does not go away, contact your health care provider or dentist. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if:Face pain is accompanied by chest, shoulder, neck, or arm pain. This could mean a heart attack. Call 911 or your local emergency number. Heart attackMost heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pain is throbbing, worse on one side of the face, and aggravated by eating. Contact a dentist. Pain is persistent, unexplained, or accompanied by other unexplained symptoms. Contact your primary provider. What to Expect at Your Office Visit If you have an emergency condition (such as a possible heart attack), you will first be stabilized. Then, the provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and do a physical exam. You will be referred to a dentist for tooth problems. You may have the following tests: Dental x-rays (if a tooth problem is suspected) Dental x-raysDental x-rays are a type of image of the teeth and mouth. X-rays are a form of high energy electromagnetic radiation. The x-rays penetrate the body...Read Article Now Book Mark Article ECG (if heart problems are suspected) ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tonometry (if glaucoma is suspected) TonometryTonometry is a test to measure the pressure inside your eyes. The test is used to screen for glaucoma. It is also used to measure how well glaucoma...Read Article Now Book Mark Article GlaucomaGlaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can damage the optic nerve. This nerve sends the images you see to your brain. Most often, optic nerve da...Read Article Now Book Mark Article X-rays of the sinusesX-rays of the sinusesA skull x-ray is a picture of the bones surrounding the brain, including the facial bones, the nose, and the sinuses.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Neurological tests will be performed if nerve damage could be a problem.Open ReferencesReferencesGarza I, Robertson CE, Smith JH, Whealy MA. Headache and other craniofacial pain. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 102.Digre KB. Headaches and other head pain. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 367.