Conclusions: Clinical diagnosis of atypical facial pain represents a heterogeneous entity and seems to form a continuum regarding the level and extent of neuropathic involvement.
Atypical facial pain (AFP) is chronic pain in your face or mouth that doesn't have a clear cause. It's also called persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP). AFP can affect any area of your face, but it often causes jaw, ear or cheek pain.
Atypical facial pain (AFP) was an umbrella term used to categorize all facial pains that didn't mimic the classic symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia — severe pain that could last seconds or minutes and be brought on by triggers. In recent years, however, AFP has come to describe facial pain with no known cause.
Trigeminal neuralgia and atypical facial pain are common conditions of facial pain. Although these two pain conditions are classically well separated in textbooks, a straightforward diagnosis may not always be possible because of the overlapping clinical signs and symptoms.
Facial pain may often relate to headaches and injuries. However, other causes include dental problems, infections, and nerve disorders. People with severe, recurring, or persistent facial pain should see a doctor, who will be able to help determine the underlying cause and recommend possible treatments.
These terms are used to describe oro-facial pain which cannot be explained by any organic or physical cause.
There is no consensus or agreed upon classification system for TN. TN1 is also known as classical trigeminal neuralgia. TN2 was once known as atypical or symptomatic TN. However the term “atypical” trigeminal neuralgia has been inconsistently used for individuals who do not have TN1 and remains a vague, undefined term.
Conditions that can mimic trigeminal neuralgia include cluster headaches or migraines, post-herpetic neuralgia (pain following an outbreak of shingles) and TMJ disorder. It's also important to rule out sinusitis and ear infections.
Type 2 trigeminal neuralgia (TN2) is characterized by constant pain. Characteristically, in TN1, the pain isn't constant; it comes and goes, and can be set off by touching the skin. It's not uncommon for a person with TN1 to stop combing their hair or brushing their teeth.
Atypical Facial Pain Symptoms Both trigeminal neuralgia and atypical facial pain affect one side of the face and are believed to be caused by injury, inflammation or mechanical impingement of the trigeminal ganglion.
People who have had head trauma or numerous dental procedures have an increased chance of developing atypical facial pain. Psychological conditions, such as anxiety and depression, are also risk factors for atypical facial pain, with stressful life events sometimes preceding the onset of the pain.
Evidence suggests that in up to 95% of cases, trigeminal neuralgia is caused by pressure on the trigeminal nerve close to where it enters the brain stem, the lowest part of the brain that merges with the spinal cord. This type of trigeminal neuralgia is known as primary trigeminal neuralgia.
Conditions which feature recurrent or persistent facial pain as the primary manifestation of disease are referred to as facial pain syndromes. Pain in various parts of the head, not confined to the area of distribution of any nerve. Painful sensation in the face. The symptom of pain in the cranial region.
Almost everyone has had a headache . Headache is the most common form of pain.