Definition
Facial nerve inflammation is defined as inflammation of one or more nerves that supply certain areas of the face. In medical terminology, such inflammation is called neuritis. If only a single nerve is affected, it is called mononeuritis.
An inflammation of several nerves is called polyneuritis. In the face, especially the triplet nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the facial nerve, the facial nerve, are affected by inflammatory processes. The trigeminal nerve plays a major role in the sensitive and motor supply of the head and face.
It has three main branches, of which one or two, and rarely all three, may be inflamed. A distinction is made between the eye, upper jaw and lower jaw branches. In medical terminology, they are called the ophthalmic nerve, the maxillary nerve and the mandibular nerve. The facial nerve has several side branches and its fibers have different qualities and functions. Depending on which nerve and which branch of the nerve is affected, this can lead to different symptoms and complaints.
The causes
The causes of nerve inflammation in the face can be many and varied. It is often triggered by an infection. Varicella-zoster viruses are often responsible for nerve inflammation.
This means that reactivation of the chickenpox virus in the form of shingles can provoke neuritis in the face. But other viruses or bacteria can also cause such an inflammation of the nerves. Furthermore, inflammation can also be caused by an operation on the face.
For example, a surgical operation on the parotid gland can lead to nerve damage and inflammation. During the operation, the facial nerve can be irritated, inflamed and damaged In addition, inflammation of the nerves in the face can have a toxic cause This means that neuritis can be caused by various chemicals or even alcohol. Moreover, long-term malnutrition can have an effect on the facial nerves and cause inflammation.
A deficiency of the B-vitamins in particular plays a role here. Furthermore, derailments and dysregulations of the metabolism can lead to nerve inflammation. For example, inflammatory processes of nerves can occur in the context of diabetes mellitus, kidney disorders or gout.
In addition, allergic reactions can lead to so-called neuroallergic neuritis of the face. The cause of a classic trigeminal neuralgia is often unknown. In technical jargon, this is called idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.
The causal pathomechanism has been partially researched. It is postulated that classical trigeminal neuralgia is related to a “vascular-nervous conflict”. A degenerative alteration of the vessel causes the nerve branches to be compressed.
The isolation of the trigeminal nerve can be damaged by a permanent “vascular-nerve conflict”. This can result in direct contact between sensitive fibers and pain fibers. Consequently, the typical pain attacks of trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered.
Classic trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by a lightning-fast, highly burning and electrifying pain in the area supplied by one or more trigeminal nerve branches. The type of pain is described in medical terminology as neuropathic pain. The pain attacks that occur in the context of trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered spontaneously or by certain triggers.
These triggers can be, for example, chewing, speaking, swallowing, brushing teeth, shaving, washing, mimic movements, touching or a cold breeze. In the beginning, the pain attacks start spontaneously and later on they are provoked by triggers. Many sufferers suffer very severely from them and often their quality of life is limited.
Understandably, this can lead to mood changes. Unfortunately, these depressive moods and resulting reactive fears are misinterpreted as the “cause” of the disease. In the course of a trigeminal neuralgia, external stimuli can trigger the pain attacks.
One possible trigger is a draft. This is emotionally very stressful for those affected, as it is difficult for them to predict the triggering of the attacks. Accordingly, it is very difficult to control or avoid this.The consequence can be that those affected no longer leave their apartment or house.
This can have further consequences for social and productive life. The upper and lower jaw nerve branches of the triplet nerve can also become inflamed. The nerve branch of the lower jaw is called ramus mandibularis.
The upper jaw nerve branch, on the other hand, is called ramus maxillaris. If this is inflamed, pain can spread to the teeth of the upper jaw, upper lip, palate, nasal mucosa and nasal wing. If the nerve branch of the lower jaw is affected, the teeth in the lower jaw, tongue and lower lip often hurt.
If the pain attacks, an involuntary, reflex biting of the jaw can occur. Often the pain is mistakenly interpreted as a dental problem. However, the characteristic pain attacks of nerve inflammation facilitate a differential diagnosis.
More rarely, damage and/or inflammation of the lingual nerve (nerve branch of the ramus mandibularis) occurs during the removal of a wisdom tooth. Immediately after the procedure, the affected person feels an immense blow in the tongue with an immediate numbness. Rarely do the complaints remain permanent.
The treatment is similar to that for trigeminal neuralgia. As a rule, stress is not the sole cause of nerve inflammation in the face. However, psychological and physical stress can promote and intensify the triggering of the symptoms.
This is due to the body’s own processes that occur during stress reactions. In the course of these processes, various substances and hormones are released. They serve as messenger substances.
This means that they carry certain “messages” and thus enable the cells to communicate with each other. This leads, among other things, to changes in various vessels. This can finally intensify the “vascular-nervous conflict” and have effects on the symptoms of nerve inflammation in the face
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