Definition
A numbness or sensory disorder is an altered sensation, usually caused by an inadequate response of the nerves to a stimulus. The stimulus can be touch, temperature, vibration or pain. This sensation can take different forms, such as tingling (paresthesia) or a furry sensation and can occur anywhere, including on the face.
Causes
The causes of numbness in the face can be many and varied. Basically, the damage or irritation of a nerve can be responsible for it. This can occur in the case of peripheral nerve inflammation, for example with herpes viruses (shingles), or central inflammation in the case of multiple sclerosis.
If the numbness is accompanied by signs of paralysis, one must think of a stroke as a possible cause and consult a doctor immediately. However, if no physical or so-called organic cause can be found, a psychosomatic disorder should also be considered. These are patients who have experienced traumatic experiences, abuse or stress in the past.
When confronted again with a stressful situation, the affected person reacts with physical symptoms, which, however, cannot be attributed to any physical illness. In this large group of psychosomatic disorders there is the dissociative sensitivity and sensory disorder, which can manifest itself as numbness or pain. Not only patients with a psychosomatic disorder can develop feelings of numbness due to stress.
During a prolonged period of stress, the cortisol level in the blood is elevated as a stress hormone. In the long term, this can weaken our immune system and make us more susceptible to inflammation. An example of this is the above-mentioned shingles, which, as a reactivation of the chickenpox virus, can attack the nerves in the face.
Sensitivity disorders can occur here, but these are usually followed or accompanied by severe pain, blisters and redness. Our next article on this topic would also be interesting for you: How can you improve your stress resistance? Another cause that can cause discomfort in the face is sinusitis.
Typical of this is a feeling of pressure, but also severe pain in the area of the affected sinus. The pressure pain is usually located in the forehead, between the eyes or in the area of the jaw. The nose is also blocked and can secrete purulent secretions.
In most cases, the general condition is diminished and fever may occur. Since this is a bacterial inflammation, you should seek medical attention immediately. Another inflammation that causes radiating pain and hypersensitivity in the face, but especially in the ear, is the acute inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media).
This is often a mixed infection of viruses and bacteria, which typically accompanies a viral respiratory tract infection or occurs when there are ventilation problems in the middle ear. Accompanying symptoms may include fever, hearing loss and a general feeling of illness. If middle ear infection is suspected, you should consult a doctor.
Migraine can be another cause of numbness in the face. The symptoms of migraine are classically severe unilateral headaches, often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and noise. However, focal neurological symptoms, the so-called aura, can occur even before the migraine attack.
These symptoms can be manifold, for example visual field failures, flickering, speech disorders, but also sensitivity disorders. Thus, a sudden numbness in the face, in case of known migraine, can be an aura. The duration of the aura must not exceed 60 minutes, after which a medical consultation should be made immediately.
Usually the aura is followed by severe headaches, but sometimes these do not occur. An underfunction of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) often comes with a whole range of unspecific symptoms. Typically, patients are confronted with loss of performance, constipation, weight gain and cold intolerance.
In rare cases, numbness may also occur, but this symptom is not specific to a thyroid disease. In the case of numbness, the question often arises whether the cause could be the spine.In general, it is true that changes in the spinal column, for example in a herniated disc, can cause sensitivity disorders. In the specific case of numbness in the face, however, this cannot be due to the cervical spine. If there were a herniated disc in the area of the first cervical vertebrae, the back of the head would be most likely affected. It is not the nerves from the spinal cord that are responsible for the sensitivity of the face, but the so-called trigeminal nerve, which is a cranial nerve that runs independently and does not leave the spinal cord.
