* Get Updates
  + 
* Get Involved
Search
* Healthcare Professionals
# Cheek Pain
* Icon / Teal / print@1x
  Print
!
## **What causes pain on the right or left side of the face?**
The trigeminal nerve, which is the fifth of twelve cranial nerves, is also the largest cranial nerves and contains three branches; you have one trigeminal nerve on each side of your face. There are various components to the face- muscle, bone, arteries, and glands. The trigeminal nerve relays messages between your brain and sensory organs, providing information about face and scalp sensation (ophthalmic), the mouth and nose (maxillary), and chewing (mandibular). If any of these are damaged or injured, you may experience pain on that side of your face, including your cheeks, mouth, jaw, ear, or eye. You may feel pain in one area, or several areas, possibly radiating from other areas.
Pain on the right or left cheek may feel
* Constant or intermittent (on and off)
* Sharp or dull
* Sudden
* Burning
* Aching
* Shock-like, or ‘electrical’
### **Common causes of cheek pain**
There are many reasons why you may have pain on one cheek.
* Sinus infection
* Toothache
* Injury
* Infection- an abscess, cellulitis, or ulcer
* Headache
* Herpes zoster (shingles)
* Migraine
* Herpes simplex 1 (which causes mouth sores)
Your dentist or doctor will determine which type of pain you have, including dental pain (problems with the teeth and gums), temporomandibular pain which relates to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles of the jaw, vascular pain (issues with blood vessels and blood flow), or nerve pain (conditions that affect the facial nerves).
### Neurological causes of facial pain
* Trigeminal neuralgia
* Other trigeminal neuropathic pain
* Bell’s palsy
* Multiple sclerosis
* Parkinson’s disease
Other symptoms you may be experiencing in your head or neck region, along with pain on the side of your face/cheek include:
* Painful teeth
* Restricted jaw movement, locking sensation
* Rash, swollen areas of the skin
* Neck stiffness\*
* Numbness
* Drooping eyelids or face
* Swollen glands
* Inability to turn your eyes\*, light sensitivity
* Nasal congestion, sinus pain
* Blurred or double vision\*
\*You should seek immediate medical attention.
## **Diagnosis**
Your description of your symptoms and history will help your doctor or dentist determine the cause of your left or right side facial pain. You should explain what the pain feels like, what if anything triggers it, when it occurs, and how long it lasts. Make sure to tell your doctor about the first time you experienced the pain, and any factors that make it worse or better. Tell your doctor about any other symptoms you are experiencing. All of this information is relevant and may help to determine the cause of your pain.
Your doctor or dentist may order tests, including x-ray or MRI to diagnose issues with your bones, tissues, muscles, or sinuses. Blood tests can rule out underlying disease or infection. Your doctor may order an eye exam or cardiogram, depending on your symptoms and examination results.
## **Treatment**
Your treatment will be determined based on your diagnosis.
Subscribe
#### Signup for relevant content in your inbox.
First name
Last name
Email address
# Learn
## Browse Recent Articles
April 26, 2022
## 
Jeffrey A. Brown, MD, FACS, FAANS First, some basic requirements: there are a lot, but that is the point, too. Doctors educated in the United States are granted their MD […]
June 24, 2021
Dr. Michael Lim discusses different diagnoses and treatments for facial pain.
Dr. Michael Lim gives an overview of trigeminal neuralgia.
Dr. Raymond F. Sekula, Jr. explains the microvascular decompression procedure, a treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia.
Janet Ditslear discusses how facial pain can affect marriage and family life.
Dr. Julie Pilitsis discusses ways to get your pain to manageable levels.
Dr. Mark Linskey, Dr. Richard Zimmerman, and Megan Hamilton discuss what to look for in the decision making process when you are trying to find a doctor and treatment for facial pain.
July 1, 2021
Dr. Larry Arbeitman will answer: What is Upper Cervical Chiropractic? How does is differ from traditional Chiropractic methods? Learn about the connection between the Upper Cervical Spine and Facial Pain, research and case studies, what you can expect from UCC and how you can integrate it into your healthcare plan. You will also be able to ask Dr. Arbeitman your questions during this live presentation.
July 13, 2021
Dr. Gary Stanton explains how acupuncture can help manage TN pain.
September 27, 2021
Can Hormones Affect Facial Pain? Some women experience a change in their facial pain at various points in their menstrual cycles, when taking or stopping hormonal methods of birth control, […]
October 15, 2021
November 15, 2021
Dr. Michael Lim discusses the pros and cons of the various surgical options for treating TN.
April 8, 2022
What is hemifacial spasm (HFS)? Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a condition characterized by painless twitching of the muscles on one side of the face. The contractions are involuntary and occur […]
Dr. Mark Linskey discusses how to get facial pain diagnoses and facial pain treatment for children.
Hossein Ansari, MD Director of Headache and Facial Pain Clinic at Kaizen Brain Center Facial pain can be due to a variety of medical conditions. The structure of the face […]
April 12, 2021
Dr. Ramesh Babu answers some common questions about botox for facial pain.
April 13, 2021
Mindfulness has increasingly gained attention over the past few decades, as it is gradually implemented in medical care, hospitals, schools, and businesses.
April 15, 2021
Medical cannabis has become a useful tool in the toolbox for people with facial pain. Learn more about cannabis for face pain.
For many people with facial pain, weather can cause pain flares. Learn why weather can affect your facial pain and what you can do to minimize it.
April 16, 2021
Neuromodulation can relieve various types of facial pain. Learn more about neuromodulation and whether it can help your face pain.
April 29, 2021
Dr. Deborah Barrett offers a framework and tools to help people improve their quality of life, just as they are, while also reducing pain and suffering. Her work draws from empirically based cognitive and behavioral interventions, and she practices what she preaches every day.
Two people affected by neuropathic facial pain discuss their experience using medical marijuana.
Jennifer M. Wagner, Executive Director of the Western Pain Society, explains the brain-body connection with an emphasis on pain response and provides a list of strategies for those affected by chronic pain.
May 14, 2021
Complementary health approaches, also referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), integrative health therapies, and other terms, refers to a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, […]
August 5, 2021
Dr. Leesa Scott-Morrow will discuss anxiety in people with facial pain.This webinar will introduce the brain mechanisms that are involved in the experience of fear and anxiety, including discussion of […]
April 28, 2021
Worry about being able to afford your prescription medication while you are in pain adds to the frustration and fear for people with facial pain.
Learn whether trigeminal neuralgia can make you eligible for disability benefits.
Get tips on how to deal with pain in public, so that you can still enjoy yourself while out with family, friends, a significant other, or by yourself.
October 1, 2020
When severe facial pain is an emergency, this guidance will inform the doctors how to treat you.
Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition, and refers to all pain initiated or caused by a lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system.
Facial pain can create fears and doubts. Learn about taking control of your life with facial pain.
Facial pain can be described in many words…but if you had to choose just one, what would it be? The YPC recently shared how we would describe TN in one word and how we plan to overcome TN.
Learn about getting a comprehensive orofacial pain evaluation and become an educated patient.
Prepare for facial pain flares and learn how to better avoid and deal with face pain flares when they happen.
Microvascular decompression is a surgical treatment for neuropathic facial pain. Learn whether MVD is an option for you.
April 27, 2021
What are trigeminal neuropathies? Learn about causes of facial pain and what you can do.
FPA Board Chairman David Meyers welcomes you to our new website.
Medical disorders that affect the facial nerve may be the cause of your pain. Learn more about underlying conditions that cause face pain.
Dysesthesia is a chronic pain or uncomfortable sensation stemming from the central nervous system.
Dr. Julie Pilitsis, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics Professor of Neurosurgery Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical Center and FPA Medical Advisory Board member presents an overview of trigeminal neuralgia and other neuropathic facial pains.
Dr. Derek Steinbacher, Director of Craniofacial Surgery, Yale Medicine, Chief of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, FPA Medical Advisory Board member, reviews migraines, TMJ disorders, and dental pain.
Dr. Steven Chang of Stanford University Medical Center and FPA Medical Advisory Board member reviews radiation treatment options for neuropathic facial pain.
Dr. Jeffrey Cohen discusses non-surgical treatments.
In this webinar, Dr. Jeffrey Brown, Chairman of the FPA Medical Advisory Board, talks about the top questions patients and their loved ones have regarding trigeminal neuralgia.
Dr. Raymond Sekula, Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Director of the Cranial Nerve Disorders Program at UPMC, and FPA Medical Advisory Board member reviews the challenges that can complicate the care of people with neuropathic facial pain.
Dr. Jeffrey Brown, Chairman of the Facial Pain Association’s Medical Advisory Board, interviews Dr. Hossein Ansari on medical causes of neuropathic facial pain.
June 18, 2021
Neuropathic facial pain is diagnosed almost exclusively by the individual’s description of the symptoms. Dr. Kim Burchiel developed a list of questions to help doctors determine exactly which classification may describe a […]
June 21, 2021
Two members of the facial pain community, Ally Kubik and Jodi Irwin, share their experiences of being mothers while coping with facial pain.
Dr. Wolfgang Liedtke will discuss medical treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain with Dr. Jeffrey Brown.
Wolfgang Liedtke, M.D. Ph.D. is Chair of Neurology, Global Development Scientific Council at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Prior to that, he was Professor in the Departments of Neurology, Anesthesiology and Neurobiology; Attending Physician, Duke Neurology Clinics and Clinics for Innovative Pain Therapy, serving patients there for over 17 years.
Dr. Lisa Scott-Morrow discusses techniques for coping with trigeminal neuropathic pain.
January 22, 2025
January 17, 2025
January 14, 2025
January 13, 2025
January 8, 2025
December 20, 2024
## View or Download the Patient Guide
Learn more about neuropathic facial pain, including how to get a diagnosis, treatments, and more by viewing or downloading our free patient guide.
By filling out the form below, you will receive a free FPA Patient Guide and periodic updates on the management and treatment of facial pain conditions. We do not share this information with any outside sources.
Submit
* 7778 McGinnis Ferry Road
* #256
* Suwanee, GA 30024
* 800-923-3608
* [icon-heart@1x
  Donate
Sign up for our main newsletter
First Name
Last Name
Email
icon-plane Submit
Connect on social
© 2002-2024 The Facial Pain Association, All rights reserved.