Head and neck disorders can cause ear, facial, and jaw pain and headaches. If you have problems like these, visit double board-certified Shivan Amin, MD, at Midtown ENT in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Amin diagnoses and treats abnormal masses, infections, and many other painful conditions. Call Midtown ENT today or schedule a consultation online for outstanding head and neck disorder care.
Head and neck disorders take many forms. Common ones include:
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge where your lower jaw attaches to your upper jaw. If you have TMD, the joint could be too stiff, too loose, and/or painful.
Trigeminal and occipital neuralgia trigger severe facial pain that comes and goes. They’re caused by an injury or dysfunction affecting the main facial nerves.
Some headaches are disabling and/or return frequently. Migraines are one of the most common. They can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, light and sound sensitivity, visual disturbances, and extreme head pain. Sinus infections and inflammation (sinusitis) can cause severe pain in the forehead and behind the eyes that gets worse if you lean forward.
Salivary Gland Disorders
Conditions affecting the salivary glands, such as salivary gland infections, stones, or tumors. Symptoms may include swelling, pain, dry mouth, and difficulty opening the mouth.
Conditions affecting the ears, including otitis media (middle ear infection), otitis externa (outer ear infection), tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and hearing loss.
A neck mass is an abnormal lump in your neck. It can be any size and might or might not be painful. Most often, neck masses are benign (noncancerous) and caused by:
A neck mass is also an early symptom of cancers affecting the thyroid gland, throat, mouth, large salivary glands, larynx (voice box), or skin. Facial masses include:
Dermoid cysts are common tumors affecting tissues in and around the eyes. They’re slow-growing masses lined with skin oils and cells.
Various types of cancers can affect the head and neck region, including oral cavity cancer, throat cancer, laryngeal cancer, and thyroid cancer. Symptoms may include persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing, voice changes, and neck lumps.
Head and neck disorder treatment varies depending on your condition. You might simply need antibiotics if a bacterial infection causes your symptoms. Headaches, migraines, and neuralgia often benefit from medications that prevent attacks and make them less painful.
Noncancerous masses don’t need treatment if they’re not affecting you. But if you’re self-conscious or the growth gets in the way, Dr. Amin can remove it. Cancerous masses usually need surgical removal and treatments like chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to destroy any stray cancer cells.
Call Midtown ENT today or book an appointment online for expert head and neck disorder care.