Directory of Diseases
A laceration is the medical term for a cut on the skin. When it is a cut on the face it is called a facial laceration. Although most lacerations can heal without stitches, wounds heal faster and with less scarring when the edges are brought closer together by a medical professional. Stitches, skin glue, staples and Steri-Strips help healing by decreasing the distance between skin edges and aligning them better. If the underlying nerves or muscles are damaged from the cut, people may experience facial dropping on the side of the face the laceration is on. Because cuts on the face carry significant cosmetic importance it is best to have these cuts evaluated by a health professional.
Based on this result it is not clear what could be the cause of the pain. The term 'not otherwise specified' is used in medicine when a clear cause for a certain condition cannot be determined. Please try specifying what type of pain or location of pain to obtain a more clear diagnosis.
Shingles is a viral infection caused by varicella (the chickenpox virus). Once a person gets chickenpox, the virus remains in the nerve roots of the spine. The virus can become activated again after stress, or weakening of the immune system. When it re-emerges, often many years later, it can causes redness and painful lesions that look like pimples and blisters in the path of the affected nerve. The rash typically appears on only one side of the back. This rash is extremely painful and people may experience burning, searing and sharp pain before the rash appears and after it has already dissipated. This rash can be treated with an antiviral medication at the Doctor or Urgent Care.
This is an abscess or boil in the face. It is usually caused by bacteria that starts to grow under the skin and stimulates the production of pus and swelling. Abscesses are usually tender, hot, red, may "come to a head" and/or have drainage of pus. This may start from an infected hair follicle or a small pimple. Some of the time, abscesses can be treated with just antibiotics, however, most of the time they need to be cut and drained. Abscess commonly start after a breakdown in the skin barrier like from a cut or shaving. Treatment of abscesses needs to be supervised by a health professional.
Burns to the face and neck are highly dangerous and can cause significant harm and even death. Serious burns require immediate treatment, often at hospitals with specialized burn centers. These could include burns from hot liquids or solids, flash flame, chemicals, or even electricity. Patient's should seek immediate medical attention at an Emergency department if they have experienced a burn to their face or neck.
Cellulitis is a potentially serious bacterial infection of the skin. This can start from a scratch, a pimple, or a hair follicle that becomes infected. Even minor breaks in the skin can lead to this condition. People with cellulitis may develop hot, red skin and fever. This infection can spread to multiple parts of the body. This condition needs to be treated with antibiotics. If a person thinks they have this condition, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
There are 14 bones in the face, and any one of these bones can fracture if they are hit with enough force. When one has a broken bone there is usually severe pain. The pain worsens when one touches the fractured bone. The pain can worsen when one touches the bone in a place different from where the fracture line exists. If you were hit in the face with a lot of force and have swelling, bruising, deformed appearance of the face, feel crunching of bones, or a part of the face is not working right, then you might have a fracture. Many facial fractures do not require any special treatment. But you will need to be seen by a physician to determine if there is a fracture and if so what type of treatment is needed.
A facial contusion is a bruise of the deep tissues of the face. This occurs when one gets hit on the face forcibly. A bruise can occur if small blood vessels under the skin tear or rupture from the injury. Blood leaks out of the damaged blood vessels causing a "black-and-blue" discoloration under the skin. Although most contusions are not emergencies, a contusion in your face could signify a severe injury requiring an immediate medical evaluation.
