What Causes Facial Swelling?

Posted on Thu, 10 Mar 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 Answered on

Sat, 14 May 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello,
My brother woke up this morning with little swelling in his cheeks. Everything else in his body is fine.
He has no allergies, he is having no pain and he didn't have any recent surgeries.

Is it something serious, or just ignore it but keep watching it?

Thank you,

Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Some thoughts on this:

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

Facial swelling can be from an allergic reaction. It is an urgent situation that needs immediate medical attention if there is swelling of the tongue or throat, and lips/mouth, and any difficulty breathing. Otherwise, if it is mild and no other difficulties associated with it, he can take an antihistamine and consider what he might have been exposed to that set him off from the past day or two. Often we never are able to put our finger on what caused it.

Other possibilities - mumps can cause a puffy cheek appearance from swelling of the salivary/parotid glands, and this can cause both cheeks to swell. Most people have had a mumps vaccine nowadays via the MMR shots.

Swelling of the salivary glands from other causes can do this too, but usually just one side is affected then.

Sinus infections can cause some puffiness - but he would not be feeling fine.

So, most likely it is an allergic reaction. He can try diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 25-50 mg every 4-6 hrs. Know that it can be sedating. If that doesn't help or if it gets worse, then he should go in to be seen by a doctor.

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (24 minutes later)

Thank you very much, Doctor. Your answer definitely eased our unnecessary concerns.

As for medication, can he initially try ibuprofen, since it is anti-inflammatory, instead of benadryl?

As for the source of the possible allergic reaction, we spent couple of hours last night next to bonfire. Do you think that had anything to do with the swelling?

once again, thank you for your help

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Ibuprofen

Detailed Answer:
He can try ibuprofen. It won't help if this is an allergic reaction, but will if it is inflammation of some sort as you suggested. If taking ibuprofen, take it after having some food in the stomach so that it doesn't irritate the stomach lining.

Smoke is a type of irritant rather than an allergen. But it is possible that it irritated his eyes or sinuses.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (53 minutes later)

Thank you Doctor. I will do that, if, as you said, the ibuprofen doesn't help, I will get him the Benadryl tomorrow.
Not sure how things work on this app; should I follow up with you tomorrow to tell you what happened, or I can't do that?

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (38 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, please follow up.

Detailed Answer:
The way things work is that you have the option of closing the discussion when you are done with it, or you can continue communicating as long as it is open. I'm not sure how long it stays open if you don't close it - I think 1 month.

Once you close the discussion, if you have a month's subscription, you can always type in a question and reach me by writing "For Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh" or just "For Dr. Bonnie" in the first line of the new question.

Best of luck you your brother.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (19 hours later)

Hello Doctor, so this morning, my brother's face cheeks were still swelled. so I got him generic Benadryl pills and he had taken 50mg twice so far (2 25mg pills every 4 hours).

if this is an allergic reaction, how long does it usually take to resolve the puffyness in his cheeks while on the generic Benadryl medication?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
It should be somewhat better from the antihistamine.

Detailed Answer:
Hello -

If you see no changes after several hours on the antihistamine (2 doses), an allergic reaction may not be what we are dealing with, or there is the possibility the antihistamine is not enough for an allergic reaction (in which case a form of corticosteroid is used).

I would feel best about this if you bring your brother in to an urgent care center or somewhere else he can see a doctor, so that he can be evaluated in person at this point.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (3 hours later)

Hello Doctor,

after sending you the last message, he took the third dosage of Benadryl. and that is when we started to see improvements. But, I took your advise and took him to urgent care, and we just got back from there.. They said that everything seems to be fine and no infections. They gave him a steroid shot to relieve the symptoms completely.

thank you very much for all your help.

have a wonderful weekend..

Best Regards

P.S. after you reply back I will be able to accept and close this thread.

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (57 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
That is good to hear!

Detailed Answer:
I am glad he is doing better!

Sometimes reactions can last a few days so it is possible he may continue to need Benadryl, but I wouldn't have him use it until and unless the symptoms come back. It is also possible he may be over it now.

If, in the future, you want to reach me on this site with a question, just put my name at the beginning of your question (usually Dr. Bonnie is good enough to get it routed to me).

Best regards to you and your brother,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar