A face can look completely unchanged while pain is deciding whether someone eats, speaks, brushes their teeth, sleeps, works or steps into cold air.
This October, we are focusing on the part of facial pain other people cannot see.
By Aneeta Prem MBE · CEO, TNA UK · 1 October 2026
FACIAL PAIN AWARENESS MONTH · AT A GLANCE
October is a month for improving understanding of facial pain, the different conditions that can cause it and the effect pain can have on everyday life.
Severe or persistent pain may not change how a person’s face looks. For some people, facial pain becomes a non-visible disability.
There is no single diagnosis. Explore our Understanding Facial Pain hub and individual condition guides.
7 October is Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day. TNA UK’s 2026 campaign is Show TN 3 Fingers.
WHAT PAIN CAN CHANGE
Facial pain can be triggered or worsened by everyday activities. Not everyone experiences the same pattern, but these are the kinds of moments that can suddenly matter.
Chewing, swallowing or even contact with food may be difficult for some people.
Talking can provoke attacks in some facial pain conditions.
Trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by tooth brushing or light touch. If pain feels dental, our Dental Guide explains why careful assessment matters.
Persistent or recurring pain can disrupt rest and recovery.
Pain, fatigue and medication effects can make concentration and attendance harder. See our practical guidance on work and TN and benefits and financial support.
Cold air and wind are recognised triggers for some people with trigeminal neuralgia. Watch our guide to TN triggers.
NON-VISIBLE DOES NOT MEAN MINOR
For some people, persistent facial pain becomes a non-visible disability. There may be no obvious injury or outward sign that tells another person how severe the pain is or how much it is changing daily life.
The absence of a visible sign is not a measure of severity. Practical support is available through our Helpline and Regional Support Groups.
Fear of the next trigger
Difficulty eating or speaking
Interrupted sleep
Exhaustion after repeated attacks
Avoiding wind, touch or temperature change
Medication side effects
Cancelled plans and lost confidence
WATCH · 7 OCTOBER 2026
This is the video we want people to see and share this October. It brings together Show TN 3 Fingers and Face of TN for International Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day on 7 October.
The three fingers represent the three main divisions of the trigeminal nerve: V1, V2 and V3. Watch it first — then send it to one person who may never have heard of trigeminal neuralgia.
FACIAL PAIN IS NOT ONE CONDITION
Pain around a tooth may be dental. Pain around the eye may be migraine or a headache disorder. Brief electric-shock attacks point in a different direction from continuous burning or aching pain.
That is what Facial Pain Awareness Month should help people understand: the location of pain is only the beginning of the story.
Brief, sudden attacks are a very different pattern from pain that is present for hours or all day.
Burning, tingling or altered sensation can suggest another pattern that needs careful assessment.
Pain felt in a tooth, jaw or cheek may be dental — but the place it hurts does not always reveal the cause.
Migraine and some headache disorders can be experienced prominently in or around the face.
These are different conditions, not different names for the same pain. Open any condition below, or use our main guide if you are not sure where to begin.
Awareness is not the finish line. It matters when it changes what happens next.
Know that facial pain has many causes. Start with our Understanding Facial Pain guide rather than assumptions.
Share one useful page, one patient or clinician video or one story with someone who did not know about facial pain.
Take pain seriously even when there is nothing obvious to see. If someone needs support, point them to our Helpline.
For information, support and signposting, use our facial pain resources or contact the TNA UK Helpline.
Prepare for an appointment · Dental Guide · Research · Videos
Clinical information: NHS: Trigeminal neuralgia · NICE: Suspected neurological conditions
