Persistent idiopathic facial pain is a chronic pain disorder with significant persistent pain in the face and teeth with no reason or any neurological disease causing this pain; it is also known as atypical facial pain. It is a rare disease that affects less than 1% of people, and it is significantly more common in women than in men as women account for 75-90% of cases.
Persistent facial pain that affects the patients daily or nearly daily for more than two hours for at least three months, the pain may be described as:
Initially localized to a small area of the face or spread to the whole face
Poorly localized
Dull and nagging aches
A sensation of pins or needles
Burning
Visit a Neurologist if you have any of these symptoms for proper diagnosis and treatment
It does not have a known cause, but it may be related to psychological disorders.
It is a diagnosis of exclusion that depends on the presence of persistent pain daily for more than two hours for at least 3 months, in addition to excluding any other conditions or diseases causing this pain.
As the cause is unknown, it is difficult to be treated, but the Neurologist may recommend combining two therapies.
Behavioral therapy: training to help the patient to change the thoughts and behaviors to control the pain.
Medications:
Antidepressants (ex: Amitriptyline, Duloxetine)
Anticonvulsants (ex: Pregabalin, Gabapentin)
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