Pain in the temple

definition

The temples are on either side of the head to the sides of the eyes. Symptoms in this area are also known as pain in the temples and can be triggered by many different diseases such as certain headaches or eye diseases. Pain in the temporal region is very common because this area is very sensitive.
If the pain in the temple occurs for no apparent cause, it is called primary temple pain. If they are caused by other illnesses, they are called secondary temple pain.

causes

Pain in the temples can occur due to many different causes. They can originate from different organs on the head or be of a different nature.

The complaints arise, among other things, in the context of injuries that are associated with accidents or violence.
In the event of accidents or external violence such as blows, bruises and broken bones (Fractures) arise in the area of ​​the face. The temporal or zygomatic bone, which is located below the eye and delimits the eye socket downwards, is particularly susceptible to bone fractures. Fractures can be very painful and the pain can then radiate into the respective temple and also lead to headaches. Fractures are usually detected using an imaging method such as a conventional X-ray.

Other causes come from the area of ​​headache. In addition to migraines, there are many different types of headache, which often have a very typical painful character.

The migraine is an attack-like and suddenly onset headache, which is a warning, a so-called aura can precede. The migraine attacks express themselves in very different ways in the patients. Some patients generally have very severe headaches, which can also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. For others, the migraine headache occurs only in one place or even migrates from the front of the head to the back of the head. It is also possible that only one side is affected by the pain and the temples are sore.

Read more on this topic at: Headache with a cold

Pain on both sides and on one side (right / left)

Temple pain can be bilateral or unilateral, depending on the cause.

Patients who have migraines may experience signs such as an aura just before the seizure. A flickering light occurs in one eye. Shortly afterwards, the headache sets in. The pain in the seizures can only be limited to one side, left or right.

In addition to migraines, there is also the widespread tension and cluster headache. The tension headache is often caused by stress and overwork. It occurs predominantly as pain spread over the entire head, but can trigger typical sharp pain in the temples.

The cluster headache is particularly common and only occurs on one side. With this form of headache, severe unilateral pain attacks occur in the area of ​​the temples and eyes. They start suddenly and can last up to three hours. It is not uncommon for patients who do not have the cluster headache treated have up to several attacks of pain per day. In addition to certain foods, this boring one-sided headache can also be triggered by a dysregulation of the structures that are also responsible for the sleep / wake rhythm.

Eye / eye socket

Eye disorders can also cause pain in the temples.
Direct diseases of the eye, such as inflammation that even affects the optic nerve, can cause such pain that it radiates to the temples.
An untreated ametropia of the eye can often lead to burning sensation in the eyes and pain in the temples. Due to the enormous strain on the eye, it tires faster and it becomes increasingly difficult to see clearly. Especially people who sit in front of computer screens for a long time are familiar with the increasingly clumsy view of the screen. It is not uncommon for these patients to suffer more often than others from headaches involving the temporal region.
In addition, injuries such as breaks around the eye can also cause pain in the temples.

In some forms of headache, such as cluster headache, the pain spreads over one side of the temple and eye. The pain attacks are accompanied by pain around the eye. In addition, red and watery eyes appear and sometimes the eyelid can even droop. Cluster headaches require good treatment, because otherwise the attacks can occur more frequently and several times a day.

Do you have pain in the eye region? - Then you might also be interested in the following article: Pain in the eye socket

jaw

Pain in the temples can also be caused by diseases of the jaw. Tension and stress also affect many people with overexerted jaw muscles. On the one hand, this can lead to jaw pain, and on the other hand, the muscles can be so stressed that a kind of sore muscles develop. The pain can then spread to the temples and trigger headaches.
Temple pain can also be caused by a malfunction of the temporomandibular joint. This disorder is called Costen Syndrome designated. This is a muscular malposition and malfunction in the jaw area. In addition to noises in the temporomandibular joint when moving, patients experience pain radiating to the temples, eye sockets and forehead.

ear

In addition to the eye and nose, the ear is another sensitive sensory organ on the head. Diseases such as inflammation that affect the middle or inner ear can occur particularly often in childhood when bacteria get into the ear canal.

The typical earache is very uncomfortable and of a permanent stabbing character. If the inflammation spreads to the bones behind the ear, it is called mastoiditis in medical terminology. The pain of ear infections and mastoiditis can lead to headaches and pain in the temples beyond the ear.

teeth

Pain in the temple area is often secondary to diseases of the teeth. Patients who frequently grind their teeth at night, clench their jaws tightly and tense up, may wake up the next morning with headaches and discomfort in their temples. The grinding of the teeth moves and stresses the jaw as well as the facial muscles, which can lead to sore muscles, which then manifests itself as pain in the temples.

Furthermore, inflammation, tooth decay and misaligned teeth are also possible causes of the complaints.
Inflammation near the nerves can quickly affect the entire head and cause pain. These then radiate to other regions. Likewise, tooth decay and massive misalignment of teeth can irritate certain facial nerves such as the trigeminal nerve. A permanent dull pain can result, which can also increase with movement of the jaw or through irritation of damaged nerves.

Temporal arteritis / giant cell arteritis

Temporal arteritis (inflammation of the temporal arteries), also known as giant cell arteritis or earlier Horton's disease, is an autoimmune disease that is associated with inflammation of the medium and large vessels. It occurs for no known reason.

It is usually a giant cell, granulomatous, necrotizing vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels). Temporal arteritis is the most common vascular inflammation in adults. The disease can affect a variety of vessels, but it often affects the temporal artery, an arterial vessel in the temple area.

The main symptom of temporal arteritis is pulse-synchronous, boring pain in the temple. In addition, the temporal artery is extremely painful on pressure. This means that touching the temporal region is particularly painful for those affected. In addition to pain in the temples, you may experience pain when chewing. If the eye vessels are also affected, visual difficulties, visual field defects and sudden, temporary blindness (amaurosis fugax) can occur.

Read more on the subject under: Headache behind the eye

Sinus infection

Sinus infection, sinusitis, is a common cold that usually starts with a common runny nose. In the course of inflammation of the sinuses, pain in the face and head often occurs. The pain can affect the temples and be stabbing, piercing, pressing, or pulsating. The doctor can quickly examine and diagnose a sinus infection, for example with the help of a nasoscopy (rhinoscopy) and, in the case of bacterial infestation, treat it with an effective antibiotic.

Pain when chewing

Pain in the temple when chewing is often a sign of overloading of the masticatory muscles. This can be caused by misalignments, teeth grinding, fingernail biting or severe tension due to psychological stress.

Misalignments can be caused from birth or develop in the course of development through the use of a pacifier and thumb sucking. Many children or adolescents then need orthodontic treatment to correct the position of the jaw.

It is not uncommon for the first symptoms to appear through pain when chewing or a faulty jaw closure. The upper and lower jaws cannot bite each other properly. If misalignments of the jaw are not treated, various consequences can result.

In addition to headache and temple pain, there is greater wear and tear on the teeth and increased discomfort when chewing. Some patients then feel a crunching or rubbing while chewing, which can be accompanied by radiating pain both in the temple area and in the neck.

In some cases, an incorrect TMJ position can be responsible for head and some back problems.

Pain when coughing

In connection with a cold and to cough There may be severe dull pain in the temples during coughing. The reason for this is basically reduced health condition of the patient. In addition, with a real cold, the Sinuses through the sniff be misplaced. During the cough, enormous pressure builds up in the Rib cage on. The urge to cough causes the air to escape outwards at a very high speed Lungs promoted. For the sick, this effort often goes through the entire body as a shock. At a locked nose The pressure can also be so great that it causes pain in the temples. Some patients get it too brief headache. The symptoms can be alleviated if the cough is treated yourself and the sinuses are freed and ventilated again.

Pain to the touch

Pain in the temple when touched can be very worrying for those affected. However, the possible causes are broad and can be harmless.

Tension headaches due to stress or migraines can be accompanied by pain in the temples and tenderness.

A pain to the touch of the temple can also be a sign of temporal arteritis (see paragraph above). A tense jaw, eye diseases and injuries to the temporal or zygomatic bone are also possible causes of pain to the touch of the temple.

Furthermore, facial pain in the sense of a trigeminal neuralgia, an inflammation of the facial nerve, can cause tenderness in the temporal region. The range of possible causes is varied and should therefore be clarified by a doctor.

Pain after a blow

Pain may occur after a blow to the head or face. The pain can be localized in the forehead or temple area, for example. In the case of pain in the temples after a stroke, it is necessary to consult a doctor. In order to rule out a traumatic brain injury or bruise injuries, the person concerned must be examined urgently by a doctor.

Pain in the temple along with neck pain

Temple pain can occur along with neck pain. There can be various causes for this. The symptoms can occur with a migraine or tension headache.

A severe sinus infection can cause aching limbs as part of a flu-like infection. Pain in the temple and neck is possible. A dangerous infection of the meninges, so-called meningitis, can also cause symptoms such as temple and neck pain. If meningitis is suspected, immediate action must be taken to avoid serious complications.

multiple sclerosis

Symptoms in multiple sclerosis, MS, can vary widely among people. The disease often affects the optic nerve early on. If the nerve fibers of the optic nerve are damaged, headaches and pain in the temples can occur. Parasitic sensations such as pain in the temples can, under certain circumstances, be interpreted as signs of a relapse and require a medical diagnosis.

therapy

Pain in the temples can have many different causes. Mostly it is an accompanying symptom of a disease of the eyes, ear, teeth or headaches of various kinds. They rarely occur without a clear cause. Accordingly, the cause must be found before treatment.

Depending on the cause, appropriate therapy can then be carried out. Basically, there is an improvement in the temple pain if the trigger or a disease of the head, such as headache, inflammation of the eye, ear or jaw and tooth are primarily treated. The pain will then also go away.

In general, however, the patient can also treat the symptoms with various pain relieving drugs such as ibuprofen or Aspirin®. In order to be permanently symptom-free and to carry out a successful treatment, the cause should be clarified by a doctor and treated accordingly.