Disorders of trigeminal nerve
The trigeminal nerve is your face's main sensory nerve, and disorders here cause sharp, intense pain or numbness in the cheeks, jaw, or forehead.
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The trigeminal nerve is a large nerve in your head that acts like a busy information highway. It carries touch, pain, and temperature signals from your face and mouth to your brain. When this nerve becomes irritated, compressed, or damaged, it can cause very sudden, piercing pain or strange sensations in parts of your face.
Think of this nerve as a cable with three main branches: one goes to your forehead and eyes, one to your cheeks, and one to your jaw. If something disrupts the signal in any of these branches, it can feel like a brief, electric shock or a constant ache in that specific area.
Common Symptoms
- Sudden, sharp, stabbing pain that feels like an electric shock in the face.
- Episodes of pain triggered by light touches, like washing your face, brushing teeth, or even a light breeze.
- A dull, constant aching or burning sensation.
- Numbness or a 'pins and needles' feeling on the skin of the face.