What the heck happened to my cheek?

Sometimes I get food or something stuck in between my teeth and my gums , like a popcorn kernel. The area will become inflamed, and painful. I kind of just brush the painful area alot and then eventually, after a week or so it goes back to normal.
That being said. Depending on your age, health, and family history, you should maybe be evaluated if you have head pain that affects your vision. (Assuming you don’t have a history of migraines. ) There are a few things to rule out if this continues. If it isn’t a big inconvenience, monetary wise, or work wise, I would speak to your primary care physician.

Good luck. Peace n love.

How weird – and scary. That almost sounds like a pinched nerve to me. But because it involves your vision, I’d definitely see a doctor.

Yeah, sounds like you’re having trouble with your trigeminal nerve. It’s a cranial nerve that branches and innervates all three of the locations you mentioned (eyes, cheek, mandibular affects). Not to alarm you, but if it’s affecting all three branches, I’d imagine the problem runs deeper than a facial affliction. Sounds like Trigeminal Neuralgia. Most definitely contact your doctor.

Hope you get some relief ASAP :)

I get TMJ due to an on going neck injury. It is a nerve thing and it hurts like hell. You can Google it. I’m on my phone right now. Sorry.

Good call Cazzie. How foolish of me. I was diagnosed with TMJ when I was in my late 20’s. Hurt like crazy on one side. I thought I slept on it wrong. Turns out that it flares up every now and then. Especially if I’ve been chewing gum a lot or eating food requiring lots of chewing, like celery , or nachos.

I’d go to the doctors. It sounds like your nerve is affected and you need to rule out underlying causes of nerve damage. Also you may need prescription medication.

I always worry that I am wasting my doctors time. Your doctor will think you have done the right thing consulting them for these symptoms

I didn’t read other answers.

Does it feel near the skin, not in the muscle or jaw joint. If near the skin I think it’s the trigeminal nerve (see photo here) and very very likely shingles.

If you develop a rash on your face I would consider it an emergency in your case. Shingles near the eye can cause blindness. Even with what is happening you might want to err on the side of caution and go to the doctor, or pop some of your medicine for a few days.

That’s my sloppy advice as a non medical person and fellow shingles sufferer.

I think if you go to the doctor and no rash is visible they will just guess and maybe have you take medicine to be safe. However, there is a way they check your eye for infection, which might be worth the doctor visit.

In my case I had pain now and then along that nerve for a few years until finally I had an eruption and then immediately I figured out what it was. Until then I had all sorts of thoughts trying to figure out the pain, dryness and itch. I was guessing blood clots, thyroid meds too low, glasses too tight, depending on where the discomfort was.

Of course, it might not be shingles at all, I don’t know exactly what pain you are feeling. If it affects your vision, no matter what it is it’s probably worth checking.

I really hope it’s not shingles

@chyna At least with shingles there is treatment to try to suppress the virus. Idiopathic trigeminal nerve pain can be awful with no real treatment.

Right now, we obviously don’t even know for sure if the OP’s pain is nerve pain or not.

As you may or may not remember, the OP has reoccurring shingles.

If it hurts worse when opening/closing your mouth chances are strong that it’s TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint pain.) It’s one of the most powerful muscles in your body and any number of things can set it off.

If it proves to be persistent then. You need a dentist experienced in treating TMJ. Many times a simple soft mouth guard can do wonders because it properly aligns the jaw while you’re sleeping.

I hate to mention trigeminal neuralgia, which can be severe and crippling. But, you should at least research the condition, be familiar with it, and know if any of your symptoms might suggest it.

@jonsblond: If I were you, I’d try to see a neurologist.

My initial thought was a bug bite. Skin in your cheek is not all that rugged. One mosquito in he wrong place and your histamines might have reacted.

Then I considered it a repudiation of christian doctrine – you turned the other cheek, and this was the reward you got for that good deed.

I googled this for you for trigeminal neuralgia. You can read the symptoms and see if it fits. Google some more sites too for descriptions. Don’t get all caught up with all the causes named, meaning don’t let it get you scared, although in the end you want to know what is the underlying cause of course.

I think you can go to your regular GP first. You know I almost always recommend a specialist, but I think there are several possibilities right now. Shingles can be treated by a GP or dermatologist. Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia can be treated by a GP or neurologist, and even some other specialties. TMJ is often treated by a dentist. MS would be treated by a rheumatologist. Eyesight trouble might be treated by several different specialties depending on the underlying cause.

Or, this might be a one time thing and let up. No way to know.

I woke up at 4am and the area itched. The pain is gone now, as well as the itching, but there’s still a slight tingling sensation.

I do need to see a neurologist due to my ocular migraines. I’ll see what my doctor recommends. Thanks everyone!

Let us know.

Itch just has me betting more money on shingles.

Do you itch on the top of your head at all? Like something bit you?

No @JLeslie. It only itched on my cheek and temple. I went back to sleep and the itching was gone when I woke up again a few hours later.

I only ask, because when I finally had the rash, I ran to urgent care. It was a Sunday. It was right above my left eye on my forehead. The doctor asked about having symptoms on the top of my head, and damned if I hadn’t had three years of on and off making my husband look at the top of my head for a tick or bug bite or something. The doctor said often people get the symptom up there. I don’t know if it’s true.

Where I get the most neuralgia is on my cheek bone directly south of the left corner of my left eye. A pea size area that itches and feels dry, like lotion should help, but it doesn’t. I’ve never had an outbreak there though. I feel it near my eye off and on too. Not as often as my cheek though. Disconcerting to say the least.

Since you have migraines it could be something totally different than what I experience. Or, possibly shingles are contributing to your migraines. I assume your migraine doctor knows your shingles history? Remember we are still young. Doctors do not think shingles for people like us.

I hope you get to the bottom of it fast.