If a light touch on your face can trigger a sudden stabbing pain, you are not imagining it — this is a recognised nerve condition and it can be treated.
Trigeminal Neuralgia & Facial Nerve Pain
The trigeminal nerve carries sensation from the face. When it becomes irritated, it can fire painful signals that feel like electric shocks lasting seconds, often set off by brushing teeth, eating, shaving or cold air. The pain may be wrongly blamed on teeth first.
Treatment usually begins with medicines used for nerve pain. For patients who do not respond or cannot tolerate them, image-guided nerve blocks and radiofrequency treatment of the trigeminal nerve branches are options. Some cases need imaging to rule out a pressing blood vessel or other cause, and surgical opinion may be advised.
- Sudden stabbing or electric-shock pain on one side of the face
- Pain triggered by touch, chewing, talking or wind
- Brief attacks that repeat many times a day
- Burning or aching face pain between attacks
- Dental treatment that did not solve the pain
What Can Cause Facial Pain?
Trigeminal neuralgia
Irritation of the trigeminal nerve, often by a nearby blood vessel.
Nerve damage or inflammation
After shingles, injury or dental procedures.
Other conditions
Multiple sclerosis, sinus or dental disease and jaw joint problems can cause face pain and must be considered.
Atypical facial pain
A more constant burning or aching facial pain that needs a different approach.
How We Find the Cause
As a neurologist, Dr. Rustam examines the cranial nerves and reviews MRI brain/nerve imaging where needed, and checks for dental or sinus sources.
- Neurological examination
- MRI review
- Dental and sinus causes considered
- Response to nerve-pain medicines
Your Treatment Path
We begin with the least invasive option that is appropriate and move on only when needed. Surgery is not always avoidable, and we will tell you if it is the better choice.
Diagnosis and medicines
Nerve-pain medicines are usually the first treatment.
Nerve blocks
Image-guided blocks of the trigeminal nerve branches for pain control.
Nerve blocks →Radiofrequency treatment
Heat from a fine needle calms the painful nerve branch for a longer period.
Radiofrequency nerve ablation →Surgical opinion when needed
If imaging shows a surgical cause, we help you plan the next step.
Last reviewed: October 2026 · View Dr. Rustam’s profile → · Procedures available at IPSSC →
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers from the IPSSC team — see all FAQs or contact us directly.
Ready to Get Your Facial Pain Checked?
Book a consultation with Dr. Zahid Rustam at IPSSC, G-8 Markaz, Islamabad — seeing patients from Islamabad, Rawalpindi and surrounding areas.