Abstract

ATYPICAL FACIAL PAIN – AN UPDATED REVIEW WITH A DETAILED DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

*Dr. K. Saraswathi Gopal and Dr. Prakash Vijayan Bhoopalan

ABSTRACT

Persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP) originally known as Atypical facial pain is variable in its presentation. Often it is characterized by continuous, recurrent pain of variable intensity. Typically, the pain is deep and poorly localized, is described as dull and aching, and does not awake the patient from sleep. At onset, the pain may be confined to a limited area on one side of the face, while later it may spread to involve a larger area. It is imperative to arrive at a proper diagnosis as atypical facial pain is a diagnosis of exclusion. Differential diagnosis includes various forms of pain ranging from dental, non-dental and neuropathic origin. A proper diagnosis of atypical facial pain will guide the clinician in stepwise treatment of the pain.

Keywords: Atypical facial pain, Persistent idiopathic facial pain, Diagnosis, Differential diagnosis, Management.