Physical therapy for the face
Your face is one of the most sensitive areas of your body, with numerous nerves that provide sensation, movement and expression. Facial symptoms can range from pain to loss of control of your facial muscles. This can not only cause physical discomfort, but also affect your emotional well-being. Facial pain or facial paralysis can interfere with daily functions such as talking, eating or laughing and often require specialized care.
What causes facial pain?
Facial pain can have several causes, ranging from nerve problems to muscle or joint problems. Common causes are:
- Facial pain: this can be caused by irritation or compression of the trigeminal nerve, a nerve responsible for feeling in your face. It results in sharp, electrical pain shooting up suddenly, often when touching the face or with certain movements.
- Facial paralysis: the facial movements on one side of the face may fail temporarily or permanently. The most common form is Bell’s palsy, which often occurs without obvious cause and in some cases is caused by a virus.
- Dental problems: In some cases, problems with your teeth, such as an infection or inflammation of the tooth root, can cause radiating pain that feels like facial pain.
- Trauma or injury: A fall or accident where the face is hit can cause nerve damage, resulting in pain or loss of muscle control in the face.
What do you notice about facial pain?
Facial symptoms can range from mild tenderness to severe pain or loss of control of the facial muscles. Possible symptoms include:
- Facial pain: Severe, shooting or burning pain in the face, often on one side, that can be caused by touching, chewing or speaking.
- Facial paralysis: Paralysis or weakness on one side of the face, where you may not be able to raise your eyebrow, raise the corner of your mouth or blink normally.
- Loss of sensation: Numbness or tingling in parts of the face.
- Pain when chewing, speaking or laughing.
- Changes in facial expression: Uneven smile or difficulty closing the eye on the affected side of the face.
How can we help?
Marten Elzinga
Orofacial physiotherapist
At VMfysio, we offer customized treatments to help you recover from facial pain. This may include counseling, targeted physical therapy to strengthen and relax facial muscles and improve control of muscle movements.
