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How do I know if I have hemifacial spasm?
Usually, the first symptom of hemifacial spasm is intermittent eye twitching. Eye twitching does not usually indicate a health problem. If you have hemifacial spasm, eye twitching progresses to twitching in other parts of the face. With hemifacial spasm, twitches can pull the mouth to one side.
How did your hemifacial spasm start?
Hemifacial spasm is most often caused by a blood vessel touching or pulsating against a facial nerve. It may also be caused by a facial nerve injury or a tumor.
How do you get relief from hemifacial spasm?
Treatment for hemifacial spasm may include:
- Botulinum injections. Your doctor may inject botulinum toxin (Botox) into the affected muscles, which temporarily paralyzes those muscles.
- Other medications. Medications, including anticonvulsant drugs, can relieve hemifacial spasm in some people.
- Surgery.
Does hemifacial spasm go away?
It’s very rare that hemifacial spasm will simply go away on its own. In many cases, it continues to intensify, often becoming worse and involving more and more of the small muscles on the affected side of the face.
When should I see a doctor for facial twitching?
There are several scenarios in which you should consult a doctor: if your twitching doesn’t resolve after several weeks, if it intensifies or interferes with your vision, or if you simultaneously experience other significant symptoms, such as a headache or muscle weakness.
Is hemifacial spasm serious?
Hemifacial spasms aren’t dangerous on their own. But a constant twitch in your face can be frustrating or uncomfortable. In severe cases, these spasms can limit function due to involuntary eye closing or the impact they have on speaking.
How long does a hemifacial spasm last?
Multiple injections are usually given both above and below the eye and in the cheek. Muscle weakening begins after about 1-4 days, with effects lasting up to 4 months. Treatment works for about 70% -80% of people with hemifacial spasms.
Can stress cause facial spasms?
Fatigue, sleep deprivation, stress, eye strain, too much coffee or alcohol and also certain stimulants (like those in some decongestants) can all contribute to eyelid twitches and other facial twitches, too. “But they can also occur randomly — for no good reason at all,” says Samii.
What is the most effective hemifacial spasm treatment?
Treatment for hemifacial spasm may include: Botulinum injections. Your doctor may inject botulinum toxin ( Botox) into the affected muscles, which temporarily paralyzes those muscles. Other medications. Medications, including anticonvulsant drugs, can relieve hemifacial spasm in some people. Microvascular decompression surgery.
Can Botox help hemifacial spasm?
For most patients, the first-line therapy for hemifacial spasm is periodic injections of botulinum toxin (Botox® or Xeomin®) into the eyelid and facial muscles. This treatment can greatly reduce the symptoms of hemifacial spasm in up to 80-85% of patients.
Does head trauma cause hemifacial spasm?
A nerve injury can lead to hemifacial spasm . There are a number of ways the facial nerve can become injured, but the most common is head or neck trauma that results in the nerve being pinched or stretched. Accidents or falls are some of the most common ways the nerves in your back, neck and head can become damaged.
What causes facial spasms?
Hemifacial spasms are usually caused by a damaged facial nerve, a tumor or blood vessel compressing the nerve or Bell’s palsy. In a majority of cases, spasms start near the eye and progress down the face over time. Although it has been seen that spasms start near the chin and move upward, this is not very common.