[The role of pathology of the ORL organs in the etiology of facial pain].

An ENT practitioner often deals with facial pain. This problem has been widely discussed in the literature but the major issues of its etiology, pathogenesis and clinical development still remain unclear. Facial pain of different localization may be caused by ear, nose or throat inflammation, tumors, anatomic deviations of ENT organs, their traumatic lesions or surgical interventions or may be of psychogenic origin. Acute and chronic inflammatory diseases of ENT organs in patients suffering from prosopalgias suggest that they may be associated with ENT pathologies. However, the relationship between ENT pathologies and prosopalgias have been inadequately investigated by both otorhinolaryngology and neurology, clinical observations have not been properly reviewed, and reliable conclusions have not been made. There are essentially no publications discussing the question as to the cases in which ENT pathologies do or do not cause prosopalgias. Study of prosopalgias and identification of the role of ENT pathologies in their genesis are very important. For all practical purposes it seems necessary to invite an ENT doctor to participate in the diagnosis and treatment of prosopalgias.