How to Manage Facial Pain with Homeopathy

Facial pain refers to any kind of pain or discomfort felt in the face. The pain can occur on the whole face or may be localized to a particular part of the face. In some cases, pain may radiate from the head or ears to the face. The pain can be mild to severe varying from case to case. It may be constant or may come and go at varying intervals. Depending on the causes, facial pain may be attended with other symptoms like headache, jaw pain, tooth pain, earache, tingling/numbness/weakness on the face, swelling on the face, skin eruptions, sinus symptoms like nasal discharge, PND (Post Nasal Drip means dripping of mucus from the back of nose into throat), blocked nose, and eye-related symptoms like eye redness, eye watering, etc.  Facial pain can arise from various causes as follows:

1. Trigeminal neuralgia: Trigeminal neuralgia refers to severe pain on one side of the face along the course of the trigeminal nerve mainly due to compression, irritation or damage to the trigeminal nerve.

2. Sinusitis: It refers to inflamed paranasal sinuses i.e. air-filled cavities in the skull bone. It can cause facial pain along with other symptoms like nasal discharge, post nasal dripping, headache and blocked nose. Facial pain can be felt in the cheek area, forehead, root of the nose or the upper jaw depending on the sinus involved.

3. Toothache or cavities (hole in a teeth from decay) in the teeth and dental procedures like tooth extraction, root canal treatment, etc.

4. Herpes Zoster or post-herpetic neuralgia: Herpes Zoster refers to a painful rash with fluid-filled bumps (blisters) caused by varicella zoster virus. If this pain continues for more than three months after healing of the skin rash, it is termed post-herpetic neuralgia.

5. Herpes Simplex: It is also known as fever blisters characterized by tiny blisters around the mouth and on the lips caused by herpes simplex virus 1.

6. Headaches like migraine (one-sided headache usually throbbing type often attended with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to noise and light)

7. An injury to face or a fracture of maxillary or mandibular bone

8. Oral infection (infection of gums, tooth abscess – pus collection in different areas of tooth from bacterial infection) and infection of the salivary glands

9. TMJ (Temporo Mandibular Joint) disorders: These are the disorders arising from complaint of the jaw joint or muscles linked with jaw movement.

10. Atypical facial pain when no clear cause is found.

Homeopathic Management

Homeopathy can be of great help in cases of facial pain. Homeopathic medicines are natural remedies that help in relieving facial pain by working on the root cause behind it. Once the root cause is treated, a long-term relief in facial pain follows. The most suitable homeopathic medicine for facial pain is selected after taking into consideration the individual symptoms and the cause behind facial pain. It is advised to always get any case of facial pain evaluated by a homeopathic physician for the right diagnosis and prescription. In most cases, facial pain occurs due to mild causes treatable with homeopathy. However, in very rare cases, pain in the face or jaw may happen from heart attack. So, if any pain occurs in the chest or left arm suddenly and radiate to the face or jaw then immediate help from conventional mode of treatment should be taken as homeopathy has limitation in treating such critical cases.

Homeopathic Medicines For Facial Pain

1. Belladonna – Top Medicine

Belladonna is a highly effective medicine for managing facial pains. It can help facial pain linked to several issues like sinusitis, headache, migraine, nerve involvement. In cases requiring it, the pain gets worse by touching the face or movement of the face. The pain may radiate to the side of head, ear or to the neck. The pain can be relieved by pressing the face hard. Though pain can occur on any side, it mostly affects the right side of the face. The pain can be cutting, shooting, tearing in nature. Along with pain, heated sensation can be felt on the face. The face can be markedly red too. Swelling may appear on the cheeks.  This medicine is also helpful for managing nerve pain that starts from the right side of head and spreads to the right eye and right cheek.

2. Spigelia – For Facial Pain From Trigeminal Neuralgia

Spigelia is one of the best medicine for pain on the face due to trigeminal neuralgia. Pain is mostly felt on the left side of face. One feels pain on the forehead, eye, cheek, teeth on left sided face. The pain can be tearing stitching, stabbing or burning type like hot needles. Pain tends to come and go suddenly. The left side of the face is also very sensitive to touch.

3. Magnesia Phosphorica – For Right Sided Facial Pain

This medicine is well indicated to manage facial pain on the right side especially due to trigeminal neuralgia. It is recommended when pain begins from the right eye and from there radiates to the entire right side of the face. The pain may be cutting stitching, shooting or cutting type. The pain tends to worsen from the slightest touch, a draft of air and washing with cold water. Relief is felt from warm application on the right side of face.

4. Colocynth – For Left Sided Facial Pain

Colocynth is a wonderful medicine for managing left sided facial pain. In cases needing it, facial pain gets worse from even slight touch on the face. The left side of the face is red, hot and swollen along with pain. The pain gets better from applying warmth. It is also relieved by absolute rest. The pain may radiate to the head, left ear and left side of the neck. Pain may be attended with excessive watering from the left eye. It is also indicated when pain from the left cheek bone radiates to the left eye.

5. Kali Bichrome – For Pain From Sinusitis

Kali Bichrome is a useful medicine for managing facial pain caused by sinusitis. In cases needing it, pain is mostly felt on the forehead above the eyes, root of the nose or the cheeks. Besides, thick ropy, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose may appear or the discharge may drip from the back of the nose into the throat i.e. PND – post nasal drip. Nasal blockage may be experienced.

6. Merc Sol – From Toothache

This medicine is well indicated when pain from painful teeth radiates to the face and even to the ears. Pain may be tearing or shooting type. The affected tooth may be decayed. Gum inflammation can also be present. Swelling over the cheek may be present on the affected side of the tooth. The pain gets worse from eating anything cold or warm. Relief appears from rubbing the cheek around the affected tooth.

7. Hecla Lava – From Decayed Tooth Or After Tooth Extraction

This medicine is highly suitable to manage facial pain that occurs from decayed tooth or follows tooth extraction. The pain is located over the jaw area. Swelling may also be present. The affected area is painful to touch. Due to pain there is difficulty in eating and sleeping.

8. Silicea – For Pain From Gums Infection Or Tooth Abscess

Silicea is a very important medicine for managing pain in the cheeks or face or from infection in gums or tooth abscess. In cases needing it, there is soreness and inflammation of gums. There is throbbing pain in teeth. This pain tends to radiate to the cheek or face from teeth. Pain gets worse at night.

9. Rhus Tox – For Pain From TMJ Disorder

This medicine is beneficial for managing pain occurring from TMJ disorder especially from joint inflammation. It is indicated when pain occurs at a jaw joint. It is accompanied with stiffness. Warmth or pressure over the joint relieves pain.