facial numbness

[Bobby1311]

started experiencing (sudden onset at 3AM 3 weeks ago)  numbness.  left side of upper lip, left side of nose, left cheek area nearest nose.
no pain associated.  just feels like dentist anesthesia.
Have had ct scan, mri, lumbar puncture....every possible workup.  No answers.

[theresa531]

I have facial pain and numbness on the right side of my face.  Sometimes the pain in also in my cheek, ear, temple, head with numbness such as dental anthestic to the middle of my lower lip.  On and off for years.  Now my head is like a barometer, I can predict a drop in barometric pressure before a storm is announced on the news.  Any insight?

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Thank you for your question. Although without being able to examine you I can not offer you the specific advice on diagnosis and treatment that you need, but I would try to provide you some relevant information about your health concern.

The symptoms you are describing bear resemblance to two possibilities which can be either facial nerve palsy characterized by inability to close eye, loss of sensation on affected part, difficulty in speaking and mask like face on affected side because facial nerve innervates facial muscles and any damage to facial nerve may cause inability make facial expressions like smiling, frowning etc. Second possibility is Trigeminal neuralgia - neural pain of face with possible loss of sensation on the affected part of face but eye is seldom involved. It is usually associated with history of traumatic extraction of ipsilateral tooth. Please get both the possibilities evaluated with the neurologist. Hope this helps.