Pain

What is Anesthesia Dolorosa?

Source: Mayo Clinic, National Center for Biotechnology Information: U.S. National Library of Medicine: National Institutes of Health

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What is Anesthesia Dolorosa?

Anesthesia dolorosa (AD) is a rare condition that leads to pain in one or more areas of the face that are numb to the touch. The term "anesthesia dolorosa" translates to "painful numbness." This condition is similar to trigeminal neuralgia (TN), but while TN is characterized by short, intermittent bursts of electric-like pain, the pain associated with AD is constant and usually feels burning or jabbing.

Symptoms

The main symptom of anesthesia dolorosa is facial numbness along with pain. The pain can manifest as:

Squeezing
Burning
Aching
Pressure
Heaviness
Tightness

Causes

AD occurs due to nerve damage that interrupts nerve impulses. This can result from a traumatic injury, an underlying condition, or previous treatments involving the trigeminal nerves.

Risk Factors

The risk factors associated with AD include previous medical procedures that damage the trigeminal nerve or trauma to this nerve.

Additional Sources Facial Pain Association, European Neurology: Karger, and the Canadian TN Association

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Facial PainPain LocationPain

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