Head Pain

Altamonte Springs, Florida

Tension Headaches

A tension headache is the most common type of headache. Individuals with tension headaches generally experience dull or aching head pain, sensation of tightness (or pressure) across forehead or sides of head, and tenderness to scalp, neck, and shoulder muscles. The causes of tension headaches are not well-understood.

Migraine Headache

A migraine headache is characterized by severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation. Generally the pain is localized to one side of the head. The pain is often times accompanied by vomiting, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine headaches can last for hours up to multiple days.

Sinus Headaches/Infection

Sinus headaches feel like an infection in the sinuses. Typically, people afflicted will experience pressure around the eyes, cheeks and forehead. Many people are incorrectly diagnosed with sinus headaches, but they actually have migraines or tension headaches. Symptoms of sinus headaches include; pain/pressure in cheeks, brow, or forehead; worsening pain while bending over, stuffy nose, fatigue, and achy feeling in upper teeth.

Bell's Palsy

Bell’s palsy is characterized by facial muscle weakness which causes one side of the face appear to droop. The individual’s smile is one-sided, and the eye on that side resists closing. The exact cause of Bell’s palsy is not known, but it thought to be caused by the inflammation of the nerve that controls muscle movement on that side of the face. In most cases, Bell’s palsy is temporary and symptoms improve within a few weeks.

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition, which affects the trigeminal nerve (carries sensation from your face to your brain). Trigeminal neuralgia is more likely to affect women compared to men and individuals over the age of 50. There are several causes of trigeminal neuralgia ranging from stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors, brain lesions, or aging.


Symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia include; episodic shooting or jabbing pain (similar to an electric shock); attacks of pain triggered by touching the face, chewing, or speaking; pain lasting a few seconds to several minutes; pain in the cheeks, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, and sometimes eyes and forehead; constant aching/burning feeling that may evolve into a spasm type pain of the trigeminal nerve; attacks that occur more frequently and intense over time.

Ear Infection

An ear infection (acute otitis media) most frequently occurs when a bacterial or viral infection affects the middle ear (air-filled space behind the eardrum that contains tiny vibrating bones). Children are more prone to ear infections than adults. Ear infections can be painful because of the inflammation and buildup of fluids in the middle ear. Although, ear infections can clear up without medication, more severe cases do require antibiotics.


Common symptoms associated with ear infections in children; ear pain, difficulty sleeping, crying more than usual, tugging or pulling at ear, difficulty hearing, loss of balance, fever, fluid from ear, headache, and loss of appetite. Consult your doctor if one of the following occurs; symptoms persist more than one day, present in children less than 6 months of age, pain is severe, or bloody/pus discharge from ear is observed.

TMJ Disorders

TMJ or temporomandibular joint is the sliding hinge joint that connects your jawbone to your skull. There are various types of TMJ disorders that can cause pain and discomfort to one or both sides of the jaw joint and muscles controlling the jaw movement. It can be difficult to determine the exact cause of the TMJ disorder. TMJ is associated with a few factors, such as genetics, arthritis or jaw injury. Some people who experience jaw pain will also clench or grind their teeth. Symptoms of TMJ include; pain or tenderness to your jaw, aching pain around your ear, aching facial pain, difficulty chewing, and difficulty opening and closing your mouth. TMJ disorders can typically be relieved with nonsurgical treatments and surgery is generally the last resort.

Tooth and Jaw Pain

Tooth pain is most commonly caused by tooth decay. The bacteria that reside in your mouth feed on the sugars and starches that you eat. These bacteria create a sticky plaque that clings to the surface of your teeth. Bacteria in plaque produce acids that deteriorate your teeth enamel creating a cavity. The first sign of cavities is tooth pain while eating something sweet, cold, or hot. Tooth pain could also be caused by inflammation or infection at the root of the tooth or gums, trauma/injury to the tooth (including grinding your teeth), sinus infection, or the eruption of wisdom teeth. Call your dentist if pain persists for more than 1-2 days, signs of infection (swelling, red gums, or discharge), or trouble breathing or swallowing.


There are many causes to jaw pain. The correct diagnosis is vital to treatment. The most common cause of jaw pain is TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder). Other causes of jaw pain include; teeth grinding and clenching; osteomyelitis (infection affects bones and associated tissues), arthritis, capsulitis, dental conditions (gum disease, abscesses, damaged teeth, cavities), sinus problems, tension headaches, nerve pain, vascular pain, and neurovascular pain. Symptoms associated with jaw pain vary depending on the cause, but may include; facial pain while jaw is used, joint and muscle tenderness, limited range of motion, jaw misalignment, clicking or popping noises when opening your jaw, ringing in the ears, earaches, headaches, dizziness, toothaches, vertigo, fever, and facial swelling. It is important to seek prompt medical attention to properly diagnose the cause of the jaw pain so treatment can be assessed.

Share by: