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Health Information and Tools >  Facial Problems, Non-Injury

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Facial Problems, Non-Injury

Overview

Facial problems can be caused by a minor problem or a serious condition. Symptoms may include pain, swelling, or facial weakness or numbness. You may feel these symptoms in your teeth, jaw, tongue, ear, sinuses, eyes, salivary glands, blood vessels, or nerves.

Common causes of facial problems include infection, conditions that affect the skin of the face, and other diseases.

Infections

Infections that can cause facial problems include:

  • Bacterial infections. Examples ares impetigo and cellulitis. They can cause facial pain and blisters or sores that ooze.
  • Viral infections such as shingles. These may affect nerves in the face or head. They can cause severe facial pain or eye problems (keratitis).
  • An infected or blocked salivary gland or a salivary stone (sialolithiasis). These may cause facial swelling or pain, especially in the parotid gland (parotitis). This gland is located near the ear.
  • Lyme disease. This is an infection that's spread by the bite of ticks infected with bacteria. It may cause facial pain, a headache, a stiff neck, or paralysis of the facial nerves.

Skin conditions

Skin conditions that can cause facial problems include:

  • Rosacea. This is a chronic skin condition. It causes redness on the face, usually on the cheeks, nose, chin, or forehead.
  • Acne. It often occurs on the face, especially in teens and young adults.
  • Seborrhoeic dermatitis. It causes red, itchy, flaky skin patches along the eyebrows, nose, and mouth.

Other conditions and diseases

Facial problems can be caused by other conditions, such as:

  • Sinusitis. It causes a feeling of pressure over the facial sinuses. Sinusitis can follow a cold, or it may be caused by allergies, asthma, or air pollution. It's more common in adults. But it can occur in children as an ongoing (chronic) stuffy nose.
  • Dental problems, including infections. They can cause facial pain and swelling in and around the jaw area. Jaw pain may be caused by a temporomandibular (TM) disorder. This condition can cause pain in the TM joint (located in front of the ear), in the ear, or above the ear.
  • Headaches, such as migraines or cluster headaches. They can cause severe pain around the eyes, in the temple, or over the forehead. Giant cell arteritis most often affects older adults and may cause a headache and pain. It may lead to blindness if not treated.
  • Trigeminal neuralgia. This is a condition that causes one of the facial nerves to be stimulated too much. It causes episodes of shooting facial pain.
  • Closed-angle glaucoma. It causes vision changes and severe, aching pain in or behind the eye.
  • Lupus. It causes inflammation, fatigue, and a butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks.
  • Conditions that cause problems with the muscles or nerves in the face. They include:
    • Bell's palsy. This is caused by paralysis of the facial nerve. Weak and sagging muscles on one side of the face is the most common symptom. You may not be able to close one eye, and you may have mild pain in the facial muscles.
    • Multiple sclerosis. It may affect facial muscle control and strength, affect vision, and cause changes in feeling or sensation.
    • Myasthenia gravis. It causes facial muscle weakness leading to drooping eyelids and trouble talking, chewing, swallowing, or breathing.
    • Facial paralysis from a stroke.

Treatment depends on what is causing your facial problem. In many cases, home treatment may be all that's needed to relieve your symptoms.

Information about Facial Problems, Non-Injury

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Information about Facial Problems, Non-Injury

Current as of: July 17, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.