Numbness on face and tongue

[Strawblue]

This morning I noticed a very slight ache around the top of my right cheekbone or possibly inside my mouth at the back, top jaw.
After a while I noticed a numbness slowly creeping from right side along the cheekbone down toward my chin and the jawline, and that side of my tongue and lower lip. Scratching my skin lightly on each side of my face with my nail felt different- definitely dull and numb on the right.

The numbness and very slight tingling feels like when you’ve had a local anaesthetic for s filling. It went away after a few hours but now this evening it’s starting again.

Anyone know what this could be? I asked the pharmacist but she had no idea. No soreness or redness in my mouth or around a tooth. Eating and drinking fine. I was assuming an abscess and am terrified I’m going to wake at 2am in terrible pain.

I was diagnosed with TMJ 25 years ago but after treatment it doesn’t bother me now, plus it never felt like this.

Do you have any other symptoms at all? Headache, sore throat, temperature, have you started a new medication recently? Tired?

It seems likely it would be tooth related but I'd ring 111 tonight for advice and ring dentist in morning

I had numbness and tingling in my face (left side) when I had a B12 deficiency, I know exactly what you mean about the nail feeling differently when you touch your face. I can’t remember about my tongue though tbh. Hopefully it’s something simple and easily resolved rather than a painful abscess!

@ShineOnYouLikeMorningStar no, nothing at all.

So hoping it’s not a tooth! I’ve seen too many horror stories on here since Covid accessing treatment quickly.

This is how my Bells Palsy started. Then things started tasting funny because I lost sensation in my tongue and then I started to get the droop.

If you suspect Bells Palsy, you need immediate medical attention to rule out a stroke. Plus the sooner you get on steroids, the better chance you stand of it not being permanent.

I was going to say Bells Palsy too.

I get numbness in my mouth, my lips and face as part of a migraine with aura.

@Kocakolakazza thanks I will keep a watch for that.

@Beachsidesunset I do get migraine with aura but I haven’t had one for a few weeks, and it’s not affected my face before. I’m hoping it’s a simple explanation like this.

Yes, me too with vit B deficiency. I had a slight numbness in my tongue too, it almost felt like something crawling around the end of my tongue. I also had the same feeling on the roof of my mouth.
It wasn’t sudden though like the OP.

I get this, I was terrified I had numb chin syndrome. It comes and goes. I was diagnosed with gallstones, gastritis and low b12 and iron, treatment for those issues has helped a bit but it does come back every now and then...not sure if it's related.

I had Bell’s palsy last year. Came on slowly and I’d noticed my left eye was sore (it’s because it wasn’t closing properly).

could be Bells - I’m pretty sure mine came on after a covid vax. Stand in front of mirror and pull faces - see if one side seems immobile.

or could be be hugely run down?

hope it clears up soon.

My migraines start with one sided facial/tongue numbness

Agree with PPs saying Bell's Palsey, that's how mine first came on. Very odd sensation.

Have you had a uti recently & been prescribed Nitrofuarantin? My lips & cheek went numb with that. Otherwise, get your GP to check your B12 levels.

Yup another saying check B12. Are you vegetarian/very picky eater or do you have any autoimmune conditions eg thyroid disease rheumatoid arthritis etc? More likely to occur alongside those things.

I get numb face, toes on one foot ahh MH d get tired when b12 is low

Sorry, brushing my teeth while MNing 😂

Or it could just be sinus related but best get it checked.

I saw the GP today and she thinks it’s trigeminal neuralgia; slight chance it’s shingles brewing as I have a slight temperature so I need to keep a watch for that appearing (already had that before). I also have a dentist appointment next week just to definitely rule out anything dental.

Have to say after reading about this neuralgia I’d be better off having an abscess or Bell’s Palsy 😞

Bells palsy, shingles and herpes are all the same virus. Different strains and different pains. Sorry you are in pain right now.

@Strawblue I know this was ages ago but did it resolve?

@AlwaysGinPlease I was actually just thinking about this the other day and I haven’t had any symptoms for the last few months. It was trigeminal neuralgia and seems to flare up when my face is cold during the winter, although this may not be true for others with the condition. I saw the dentist and explained why I was there and he immediately agreed it was probably TN and after checking everything he agreed with the diagnosis.

I haven’t needed any medication thankfully, but the GP gave me a code word to get an urgent appointment if I ever found myself in serious pain, so I found that worrying in itself.

@Strawblue thank you for the update. How long was it until the numb tingly feeling completely stopped the first time time and how long for?

@AlwaysGinPlease I think maybe it stopped about three months ago perhaps. It was always quite intermittent- perhaps there for a few days at a time and then stopped, then started again anywhere from a couple of days to a week or so later.

@Strawblue thank you. It's been a week for me. Started with the tip of my tongue and by the end of the day, the lower right side of my face was numb, fizzy, tingly, like I have just had dental treatment but feels that way all the time. Doctor diagnosed Trigeminal Neuralgia despite no pain. He says the next step is a CT scan. I just want it to go away so much.