Posted on16 October 2025,in

Why Does My Face Hurt so Bad? A Personal Note to Those Living With Facial Pain

Why Does My Face Hurt So Bad? If you’re reading this because your face hurts so badly you’re afraid to brush your teeth, speak, chew, or even feel a breeze across your cheek—you are not alone. At Lavender Family Chiropractic in Sarasota, we meet people every week who have been searching for answers to Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) and stubborn facial pain. Many have tried medications, injections, even surgeries—yet the lightning-bolt pain keeps coming back. Our message to you is simple and hopeful: there is a different way to think about TN that focuses on the root cause, not just the symptom. And when the root cause is addressed—often in the upper cervical spine—lives change.

What Exactly Is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a severe facial pain condition involving the fifth cranial nerve—the trigeminal nerve—which carries sensation from your face to your brain. TN pain is typically one-sided and can feel like stabbing, electric shocks, burning, or ice-pick jabs that last seconds to minutes and recur in exhausting flurries. Common triggers include:

Chewing, swallowing, or speaking
Smiling, brushing teeth, shaving, or putting on makeup
Touching the face lightly—or even a cool breeze
Neck movement or poor posture

TN often follows a relapsing-remitting pattern: brutal flare-ups interspersed with quieter intervals. Over time, the fear of the next bolt of pain can be just as disabling as the pain itself.

Conventional Thinking vs. Root-Cause Thinking

Traditional care for TN focuses on dampening the nerve’s firing with anticonvulsant medications, muscle relaxers, antidepressants, or procedures like nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablations, gamma knife, or microvascular decompression. These approaches can sometimes help—but they’re fundamentally designed to quiet the signal, not ask why the signal is misfiring in the first place.

Root-cause care asks a different question: What is creating the environment where the trigeminal nerve becomes hyper-irritable? In our clinical experience serving Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, Venice, Osprey, Ellenton, Punta Gorda, St. Petersburg, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Lido Key, and Myakka City, a frequent and overlooked contributor is upper cervical misalignment—a subtle, measurable shift in the top of the neck where your head balances on your spine.

Why the Upper Cervical Spine Matters for Facial Pain

The trigeminal nerve connects to the brainstem at the level of the pons—an area that sits in intimate proximity to the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae. These two bones form the upper cervical spine and protect the brainstem while allowing your head to move freely. When the atlas or axis is even slightly misaligned, four crucial things can happen:

Mechanical Tethering/Strain
The dural and ligament systems around the cranio-cervical junction can be pulled or twisted, creating abnormal tension that irritates the pathways controlling facial sensation.
Neurophysiological Irritation
Malposition of C1/C2 can alter afferent (incoming) signals into the trigemino-cervical complex—a known integration hub where upper cervical input and trigeminal input converge. The result can be a “turned up volume knob” on pain.
CSF and Vascular Disturbance
Alignment at the cranio-cervical junction influences cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and venous outflow. Stagnant or turbulent flow patterns can inflame delicate neural tissues.
Autonomic Nervous System Imbalance
Brainstem stress can push the body toward a chronic fight-or-flight state (sympathetic dominance), lowering pain thresholds and amplifying reactivity to benign triggers like touch or temperature.

When we restore the head-neck relationship, we often see these mechanisms calm down—and the trigeminal nerve calms with them.

How Upper Cervical Misalignment Happens (and Sticks Around)

Whiplash and Micro-Whiplash: Car crashes—even “minor” ones—can shift the atlas.
Sports and Falls: Contact sports, bicycle spills, or childhood tumbles.
Postural Load: Hours at a computer, phone, or driving with the head jutted forward.
Dental or Surgical Positioning: Prolonged open-mouth or head-tilted positions.
Birth and Early Childhood: Early strains that quietly shape adult posture.

These stresses can leave the atlas slightly rotated or laterally shifted. Your body adapts: muscles compensate, posture tilts, and the brainstem region works under strain. Symptoms may show up immediately—or years later following a new stressor.

The Lavender Family Chiropractic Difference

Our Sarasota clinic specializes in Upper Cervical Chiropractic with a focus on precise, gentle correction—not twisting, cracking, or yanking. What sets our approach apart?

3D CBCT Imaging: We utilize cone-beam computed tomography to map your cranio-cervical alignment in three dimensions—pitch, roll, and yaw. This allows a tailored plan down to degrees and millimeters.
Tytron Paraspinal Infrared Thermography: Functional nervous system scans help us detect and monitor neurologic stress along the spine and brainstem region.
Knee Chest Upper Cervical Adjusting: A light, highly specific correction aimed at restoring atlas/axis alignment—no popping or twisting—just targeted precision.
Objective Follow-Up: We re-scan and, when appropriate, re-image to ensure your correction is holding and your nervous system is moving toward balance.

Our three-doctor team—Dr. Rusty Lavender, Dr. Jacob Temple, and Dr. Will Guzinski—combines technology with experience and compassion. Patients regularly tell us they feel seen, heard, and hopeful again.

What Relief Can Look Like (Typical Phases We See)

De-Escalation: Frequency and intensity of facial pain episodes begin to decline. Triggers become less explosive.
Stabilization: Correct alignment begins to “hold,” muscles balance, and nervous system reactivity quiets.
Resilience: Weather changes, stress, brushing teeth, or light touch provoke fewer (or no) jolts.
Maintenance: Periodic check-ups help protect the correction and keep the brainstem calm.

No clinician can promise a cure—but we can promise to pursue root causes relentlessly and to measure progress objectively.

How We Connect TN, TMJ, and Neck Symptoms

It’s common for people with TN to also report jaw clicking, TMJ tightness, ear pressure, eye pain, headaches, neck stiffness, dizziness, or a sense of head “heaviness.” Why the overlap?

The trigemino-cervical complex integrates sensory input from the trigeminal nerve and upper cervical nerves.
The TMJ and atlas relationship is intimate; changes in one often impact the other.
Eustachian tube and vestibular symptoms (ear fullness, crackling, vertigo) can reflect autonomic changes and muscular imbalance around the cranio-cervical region.

When the atlas is corrected, it’s not unusual for jaw mechanics, neck motion, and even ear symptoms to improve in tandem with facial pain.

Your First Visit: What to Expect

Comprehensive History & Neurological Screening: We listen closely—timeline, triggers, prior care, imaging, and goals.
Posture & Functional Testing: Correlating what we see externally with what you feel internally.
3D CBCT Scan: If warranted, we take precise images of the upper cervical area to identify vectors of misalignment.
Tytron Scan: A non-invasive nervous system assessment to establish a baseline.
Care Plan & First Correction: If you’re a candidate, you’ll receive a tailored Upper Cervical correction using our gentle Knee Chest approach.
Follow-Up & Progress Monitoring: We prioritize corrections that hold—because healing happens while you’re holding, not while you’re being endlessly adjusted.

Proven Results: Stories We See Again and Again

A parent who avoids conversation during flare-ups begins reading to their kids at bedtime again.
Someone who feared brushing their teeth starts smiling in photos.
A patient who dreaded restaurant air-conditioning can sit near a vent without stabbing pain.
People who were counting out pills and side effects begin counting wins—days without jolts, meals without fear, strolls without triggers.

These stories aren’t miracles; they’re the natural result of a nervous system regaining balance once structural stress is removed.

Lifestyle Strategies That Support Healing

Upper Cervical correction is foundational. To help your body stabilize, we often coach on:

Sleep Position: Neutral neck, supportive pillow, avoid stomach sleeping.
Micro-Breaks & Ergonomics: Especially for computer/phone users.
Gentle Mobility & Breathing: Calm the autonomics; expand ribcage motion.
Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition: Hydration, whole foods, steady blood sugar.
Trigger Reintroduction: As pain calms, gradually re-expose to triggers with confidence and pacing.

Who Is a Candidate for Upper Cervical Care?

Many with TN are—especially those with a history of neck injury, persistent neck stiffness, TMJ issues, vertigo/dizziness, ear symptoms, or posture changes. The decision is always individualized and based on your history, exam, scans, and imaging.

Safety, Gentleness, and Precision

Upper Cervical adjustments at our office are extremely gentle. There is no twisting or cracking of the neck. The force is targeted, light, and delivered along a three-dimensional vector calculated from your CBCT. Our goal is to correct and let your body hold—not to repeatedly “move” the same joint without durable change.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Is Upper Cervical care specifically for Trigeminal Neuralgia?
It’s designed to restore normal function at the cranio-cervical junction, which often influences TN. We treat the person and their alignment—not just a label.

2) Will I feel pain during the adjustment?
Adjustments are gentle and typically painless. Many patients are surprised by how light they feel.

3) How soon might I notice improvement?
Some feel changes within days; others take weeks as the nervous system desensitizes. Severity, chronicity, and lifestyle all matter.

4) What if I’ve had brain or sinus surgery, TMJ procedures, or dental work?
We frequently co-manage with other providers. Prior procedures do not disqualify you; they inform our approach.

5) Do you use X-rays or MRI?
We use 3D CBCT for the upper cervical spine when indicated. If you have recent MRI, bring it—we’re happy to review in context.

6) What is the Tytron scan?
Paraspinal infrared thermography that detects thermal asymmetries suggestive of neurologic stress—great for tracking progress.

7) Will my adjustment “hold,” or will I need constant care?
Our philosophy is “as few corrections as necessary.” We aim for long-lasting corrections and spacing visits as you stabilize.

8) Do you treat TMJ, migraines, or ear symptoms too?
We don’t “treat” those conditions directly; we correct alignment so the nervous system can normalize—often improving co-occurring symptoms.

9) Can stress make my TN worse?
Yes. Stress heightens autonomic tone and muscle tension. We’ll coach strategies to protect your gains.

10) Are there at-home exercises?
We provide gentle mobility, breathwork, and ergonomics to support holding the correction without overloading the neck.

11) Is Upper Cervical care safe for seniors?
Yes. Our method is low-force and appropriate for all ages, including older adults with osteoporosis concerns.

12) Will insurance cover this?
Our office is out of network with insurance. Many of our patients receive a superbill to submit to their insurance for reimbursement based on their coverage. We offer many different payment options as well as finance options.

13) How long are visits?
The first visit is the longest (history, scans, imaging). Follow-ups are efficient and focused on objective checks and needed corrections.

14) What if I’m on medications for TN?
We never advise stopping medication. Our role is to improve function; you and your prescribing provider manage medication decisions together.

15) How do I get started?
Call us at (941) 243-3729 or visit www.chiropractorsarasotaflorida.com to schedule.

A Closer Look at the Trigemino-Cervical Complex

The upper neck and face share a neurological “switchboard.” Nociceptive (pain) input from the upper cervical joints converges with trigeminal input in the brainstem. When atlas alignment is off:

Cervical afferents bombard the brainstem.
Pain modulation can fail; simple touch feels like a threat.
Trigeminal pathways become hyper-responsive—cue electric shocks.

Correct the atlas; reduce aberrant cervical input; the “threat meter” can normalize.

How We Measure Progress Without Guesswork

Symptom Logs: Frequency, intensity, duration, and triggers.
Thermal Scan Trends: Heat pattern normalization indicates calmer autonomics.
Posture & Balance: Head-tilt reduction, improved weight distribution.
Re-Imaging When Indicated: To confirm stability and refine vectors if needed.
Functional Wins: Brushing teeth, enjoying a breeze, eating, and laughing without fear—these are the milestones that matter.

Why Patients Choose Lavender Family Chiropractic

Gentle, Precise Care: No twisting, popping, or cracking.
Cutting-Edge Imaging: 3D CBCT maps your unique misalignment.
Objective Tracking: Tytron scanning verifies change over time.
Team You Can Trust: Dr. Rusty Lavender, Dr. Jacob Temple, Dr. Will Guzinski.
Warm, Encouraging Environment: We celebrate every step forward with you.

Service Areas We Proudly Serve in Southwest Florida

We regularly welcome patients from Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, Ellenton, Venice, Osprey, Punta Gorda, St. Petersburg, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Lido Key, and Myakka City. If you’re searching “upper cervical chiropractor near me,” “chiropractor Sarasota Florida,” “Migraine doctor near me,” or “Vertigo doctor near me,” our team is ready to help you explore a root-cause path.

What Makes Our Knee Chest Upper Cervical Technique Special

Patient Positioning: You’re positioned comfortably so the adjustment can be extremely targeted.
Vector-Based Force: Calculated from CBCT angles; force is precise and minimal.
Correction, Not Manipulation: We aim to correct the misalignment so it holds, rather than creating repeated cavitations.
Post-Adjustment Rest: Many patients rest briefly after their first few corrections so the body integrates the change.

When You’ve “Tried Everything”

Many TN patients arrive after years of trying everything else. We honor that journey. Our role is to add something new: a structural-neurological lens plus objective tools to measure the impact of correction. For a meaningful subset of people, this is the missing piece that finally lets the nervous system decompress.

Common Myths We Hear—And What We See Instead

Myth: “If I had a neck problem, my neck would always hurt.”
Reality: Neck pain isn’t required. Many TN patients have surprisingly quiet necks—but very noisy brainstems.
Myth: “My MRI didn’t say anything about my atlas, so it’s fine.”
Reality: MRI is fantastic for soft tissues. CBCT specializes in bony alignment and has different strengths. We need the right tool for the right question.
Myth: “If it’s not cracking, it can’t be doing anything.”
Reality: The upper cervical spine responds best to specificity, not force. Tiny, precise corrections can create big neurologic changes.

Your Next Right Step

If your face hurts so badly that everyday life feels dangerous, it’s time to look above the symptom and evaluate the upper cervical spine. Whether your TN is brand new or decades old, whether you’re on medication or post-procedure, there may be space for meaningful improvement when alignment and brainstem function are addressed.

Call to Action—Hope, Measured

Call: (941) 243-3729
Visit: www.chiropractorsarasotaflorida.com
Address: 5899 Whitfield Ave Ste 107, Sarasota, FL 34243
Instagram: @lavenderfamilysrq
TikTok: @drrustylavender

Lavender Family Chiropractic in Sarasota Florida offers complimentary consultations to learn more about you. Click the link below!

https://intake.chirohd.com/new-patient-scheduling/724/lavender-family-chiropractic

Visit our Website!

To learn more about us go to http://www.chiropractorsarasotaflorida.com

We also service Bradenton, Parrish, Ellenton, Ruskin, Venice, Tampa, St. Pete, Osprey, Longboat, Lakewood Ranch, Myakka City.

If you are in Tampa, Fort Myers, or Salt Lake City, you can visit my other locations! NeckWise Upper Cervical. Visit, www.neckwise.com

If you are not local, visit www.uccnearme.com to find a doctor in your area

At Lavender Family Chiropractic, we combine 3D CBCT, Tytron functional nervous system scans, and gentle, precise Upper Cervical corrections to help people with Trigeminal Neuralgia rediscover normalcy—and joy—in daily life. If you’re searching for “upper cervical chiropractor near me,” “chiropractor Sarasota Florida,” “Vertigo doctor near me,” or “Migraine doctor near me,” and you’re ready for a caring, root-cause approach, we’re here for you.

You’ve carried this pain long enough. Let’s find a better way—together.