An upper respiratory infection can cause mild facial pain that often will go away as cold symptoms improve. Minor headaches also can cause mild to moderate facial pain. Both of these causes of facial pain usually will improve with home treatment.

• Severe pain or pressure in the sinuses may be sinusitis.
• Sudden episodes of severe, shooting pain on one side of the face may be trigeminal neuralgia.
• Severe pain around the eye or in the forehead may be a migraine headache.
• Deep, stabbing pain at the temples or around the eyes may be a cluster headache.
• Severe, throbbing pain that radiates to the jaw, cheekbone, or ear may be a toothache.
• Aching pain that radiates to the cheekbone or the side of the face may be an ear infection (otitis media).

Sudden, severe, or persistent facial pain may indicate several different problems and may need to be evaluated by your health professional.