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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Shooting Pain On Left Side Of Face?

I have a shooting pain in left side of face. Any type of touch or pressure triggers it. I cannot sleep or lie my head on the left side of my face. Recently, my tongue has been numbing on that side as well. What is this and what can I do to stop this impulsive pain?
Mon, 20 Apr 2015
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Dentist 's  Response
Brief answer: TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA..

Hi..
Can understand your concern..

As per your symptoms it seems that you are suffering from TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA..
It is characterized by severe pain on one side of face and is caused by some triggering factor like a touch on the face, shaving, sometimes even air blow to face may trigger severe shooting pain,eating, brushing etc can cause trigger of pain..

Trigeminal nerve is the largest cranial nerve which supplies sensation to different parts of face, tongue and teeth and any defect in the course of this nerve can lead to irregular nerve impulses and thus causing trigeminal neuralgia..

Mostly it causes electric shock like severe pain which lasts for a few seconds to few minutes but sometimes upto an hour..
Pain may occur unilaterally on the face on affected side, can even occur on tongue, lips,gums,teeth and rarely over eyes and forehead.

Mostly trigeminal neuralgia is caused when any blood vessel compresses over the nerve causing compression over it...
Others can be tumours and inflammation of the nerve..
Other reason is Multiple Sclerosis..

You should visit a neurologist soon and get evaluated for the exact cause of the pain..
Few investigations like MRI can be helpful..

Medicine which is found effective are Carbamazipine.
Other medicines are oxycarbazipine,Gabapentin.

In few cases surgical approach is also done..

The exact treatment is advised after proper invesigations and clinical examination..




Hope you get well soon..
Thanks and regards..
Dr.Honey Nandwani Arora..
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What Causes Shooting Pain On Left Side Of Face?

Brief answer: TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA.. Hi.. Can understand your concern.. As per your symptoms it seems that you are suffering from TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA.. It is characterized by severe pain on one side of face and is caused by some triggering factor like a touch on the face, shaving, sometimes even air blow to face may trigger severe shooting pain,eating, brushing etc can cause trigger of pain.. Trigeminal nerve is the largest cranial nerve which supplies sensation to different parts of face, tongue and teeth and any defect in the course of this nerve can lead to irregular nerve impulses and thus causing trigeminal neuralgia.. Mostly it causes electric shock like severe pain which lasts for a few seconds to few minutes but sometimes upto an hour.. Pain may occur unilaterally on the face on affected side, can even occur on tongue, lips,gums,teeth and rarely over eyes and forehead. Mostly trigeminal neuralgia is caused when any blood vessel compresses over the nerve causing compression over it... Others can be tumours and inflammation of the nerve.. Other reason is Multiple Sclerosis.. You should visit a neurologist soon and get evaluated for the exact cause of the pain.. Few investigations like MRI can be helpful.. Medicine which is found effective are Carbamazipine. Other medicines are oxycarbazipine,Gabapentin. In few cases surgical approach is also done.. The exact treatment is advised after proper invesigations and clinical examination.. Hope you get well soon.. Thanks and regards.. Dr.Honey Nandwani Arora..