Hemi Facial Spasms

Hemi Facial Spasms

What is hemi facial spasm?

It is a condition, characterized by frequent involuntary contractions of facial muscles on one side of the face. These contractions are also called tics. Compression of the facial nerve can commonly result in hemi facial spasm. When the nerve is damaged, compressed or irritated in some way it can produce symptoms of hemi facial spasm.

It may appear in one set of muscles and gradually progress to other groups. The condition is not painful, but can cause discomfort. The patient may feel uncomfortable, as it is socially embarrassing.

What are the causes?

  • Injury to the facial nerve
  • Nerve compression from an artery
  • Paralysis of facial nerve called Bell’s palsy
  • Multiple sclerosis and rarely tumors

What are the symptoms?

  • Muscular contractions or twitching of the muscles on one side of the face.
  • May begin around the lower eyelid and gradually involves the muscles of the entire eye. It involves the whole of one half of the face
  • Lower lip pulled to one side of the neck
  • Common during middle age and in women

Any trigger factors?

  • Stress and anxiety
  • Sudden jerks to face, head and neck
  • Over use of facial muscles like talking, reading, singing and sneezing.

How does one diagnose

  • Proper history and a detailed clinical examination
  • MRI to rule out any tumor and to see for any neuro vascular conflict

Treatment Modalities

  • Medical treatment with muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants and anti depressants
  • Physical therapy like electric nerve stimulation
  • Nutritional therapy with vitamin and mineral supplementation
  • Botox injection blocks the neuro transmitter and prevents muscle contraction
  • Surgery decompresses the nerve. Here a small piece of skull is removed and with gentle dissection the nerve and the offending blood vessel are separated and kept away from each other with a piece of Teflon in between them. It is called micro vascular decompression. Among all the modalities the results after surgery are excellent

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Dr. Sai Sudarsan

Apollo Clinics
Mahal Residency
Opp SAD Hospital
Bariatu.

India

Call / Whatsapp: +91-9534200013

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