Saturday, January 17th 2026

Pain in the face often “comes from somewhere else” – here are the health problems behind it
The bones of the face can hurt us, but pain in this area is usually the result of a certain underlying cause, such as injury, infection or nerve problems, and not because the bone itself “hurts” spontaneously. Doctors explain that pain in the face is often “reflected” by surrounding structures, such as sinuses, teeth or jaw joints.
Pain in the bones of the face has many causes
Pain in the bones of the face often signals problems with the sinuses (sinusitis), nerves (such as trigeminal neuralgia), teeth (abscess/caries), jaw joint or even severe headaches, which can manifest as dull aches or electric shocks, often accompanied by swelling, nasal congestion or tooth sensitivity. This requires the doctor to determine whether it is an infection, nerve disorder, injury or stress.
This pain is also known as orofacial pain and is a symptom of several health conditions. It can appear anywhere on the face, including the area around the eyes and mouth. There are many possible causes, including injuries, infections, and nerve disorders.
Pain in the facial bones can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). It can affect one side of the face or both. It can be described as a burning, stabbing, stabbing, dull ache, sharp pain or throbbing sensation. In most cases it is not an emergency, but it may indicate that something else is going on. It is important to see a doctor if you have unexplained or persistent facial pain that does not go away.
What types of facial pain are there?
Facial or facial bone pain is a broad term used to describe pain that occurs anywhere on the face. There are different types of pain, depending on their source:
– Toothache due to caries or abscess
– Jaw pain due to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or jaw fracture
– Nerve pain due to disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia
– Vascular pain due to migraine or vasculitis
– Atypical facial pain, which appears without a clear cause
People with atypical facial pain feel pain every day for at least 3 months. Heat, cold or touch can trigger the pain, while some people say it gets worse when they’re tired or under stress. Pain in the facial bones can appear on the left or right side, often near the jaw or ear. It can be limited to a small area or spread over the entire face and does not necessarily follow the path of a nerve.
A person with atypical facial pain may describe the pain as:
– Burning
– Deep pain
– Dull or sharp pain, with periods of sharp stabbing
– Palpitations or pulsations
– Numbness or tingling
What are the most common causes of facial pain?
There are many reasons that can cause facial pain, and the most common are:
– Headaches and migraines
– Herpes simplex (cold sores) or herpes zoster
– Myofascial pain syndrome
– Sinus infections
– Sialadenitis (swelling of the salivary glands)
– Disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
– Tooth abscesses
– Trigeminal neuralgia
Source: prizrenpost

