What causes pain in the orbital bone?
Nov 19, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
In general, eye socket pain may be caused by factors such as eye strain, trauma or impact, supraorbital neuralgia, sinusitis, or orbital inflammatory pseudotumor. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive appropriate symptomatic treatment under a doctor's guidance. In daily life, maintain a regular sleep schedule, avoid excessive fatigue, and consume more fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins. When going outdoors, take proper protective measures to prevent eye injuries.
Under normal circumstances, eye socket pain may be caused by factors such as eye strain, trauma or impact, supraorbital neuralgia, sinusitis, or orbital inflammatory pseudotumor. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive appropriate treatment under a doctor's guidance. Specific analyses are as follows:
1. Eye strain: Prolonged screen time or close-up reading causes sustained contraction of the ciliary muscle, which pulls on the eye socket bones and leads to pain. To relieve this, look into the distance for 5 minutes every 30 minutes of screen use, perform eye exercises twice daily, massage acupoints around the eye sockets, and apply a warm towel compress over the eyes for 10 minutes before bedtime to ease tension.
2. Trauma or impact: External force impacting the eye socket can damage the periosteum or cause soft tissue contusion, resulting in noticeable pain and swelling. Apply cold compresses within the first 48 hours to reduce swelling, then switch to warm compresses after 48 hours to promote absorption of bruising. Avoid pressing on the injured area to prevent secondary injury.
3. Supraorbital neuralgia: Cold exposure or fatigue may irritate the supraorbital nerve, causing persistent dull pain in the eye socket area, with increased tenderness upon pressing the supraorbital notch. Patients should take medications such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, mecobalamin tablets, and vitamin B1 tablets as prescribed, keep the head warm, and avoid staying up late or overexertion.
4. Sinusitis: Inflammation of the nasal sinuses can spread to the tissues surrounding the eye socket, stimulating the bones and causing pain, often accompanied by nasal congestion and runny nose. Patients should follow medical advice to use medications such as cefuroxime axetil tablets, mometasone furoate nasal spray, and Tongqiao Biyan tablets. Daily nasal irrigation with saline solution helps maintain sinus patency.
5. Orbital inflammatory pseudotumor: Inflammatory proliferation of soft tissues within the orbit compresses the bony walls, leading to pain, along with symptoms such as eye bulging and vision loss. Treatment typically involves surgical removal of the orbital lesion. This procedure removes the proliferative tissue, relieves pressure on the bone walls, alleviates pain, and protects vision.
In daily life, maintain a regular routine, avoid excessive fatigue, and consume more fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins. Protect your eyes when going outdoors to prevent injuries, and wear protective eyewear in dry or dusty environments to minimize irritation to the eyes and eye sockets.
