Sino-facial pain refers to any occurrence of discomfort and soreness in the cheekbones, eyes, nose and forehead. Various issues and factors can cause sino-facial pain and anyone afflicted with this condition should see an ear, nose and throat doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
An ear, nose and throat doctor, also called an ENT specialist, possesses a highly advanced expertise in all medical information related to sinuses and the nasal and throat passages. ENT doctors specialize in diagnosing conditions in this area, most of which cause sino-facial pain.
Causes
Sino-facial pain most commonly results from ear, nose and throat disorders. ENT specialists at ENT London, a world-renowned ear, nose and throat clinic, cite various conditions for frequently leading to sino-facial pain, including:
- Sinusitis: Often referred to as sinus infection, sinusitis is a condition in which nasal passages and sinuses become inflamed due to infection or allergies.
- Rhinitis: More commonly known as nasal congestion, rhinitis often causes sino-facial pain, especially when the congestion occurs chronically or as a result of allergy.
- Inflammatory Nasal Polyps: Chronic inflammation or blockage of the nasal passages commonly leads to lesions and tumors referred to as nasal polyps. Though these tumors are usually benign, anyone suspecting that he or she might have this condition should see an ear, nose and throat doctor immediately.
- Nasal Cancer: Although rare, malignant tumors can sometimes develop within the nasal passageways. When someone suffers from cancer of the nose, they may experience severe sino-facial pain. Nasal cancer should always be monitored and treated by an ENT doctor.
While these conditions represent the most common causes of sino-facial pain, any affliction within the nasal or ocular areas can lead to the same discomfort. Individuals with a higher likelihood of developing sino-facial pain include smokers and people who suffer from allergies.
Treatments
Anyone suffering from debilitating sino-facial pain should visit an ear, nose and throat doctor. The ENT specialist will usually begin by diagnosing the condition causing the pain. Once the ENT doctor pinpoints the sino-facial pain’s cause, he or she can develop a treatment plan.
Since congestion and infections most commonly cause this type of pain, ENT specialists often prescribe medications such as antibiotics, antihistamines and decongestants to people with sino-facial pain. Once the pain-causing condition is relieved, the patient’s pain will subside.
In cases of intolerable pain, ENT doctors may also prescribe pain medications for patients to take while the condition still exists.
ENT London is one of UK’s leading centres for facial plastic surgery, and can be contacted on 0207 580 6970.