Hemifacial spasm is a disease in which there are uncontrolled muscle contractions on one side of the face. It looks like a similar condition as abduction towards the corner of the mouth or the tip of the nose, closing and squinting the eye. Cramps of the facial muscles can occur due to stress, cold exposure or bright light. The duration of the pulsation is from a few seconds to an hour.
With the development of the disease, skin folds and wrinkles appear on the affected half of the face. Facial hemispasm does not go away for a long time, of course, there are short-term improvements in the form of the absence of involuntary spasms.
Main causes of Brissot's disease
As already known, hemispasm is a disorder accompanied by periodic contractions of the muscles of the face. Such cramps do not cause pain. A similar ailment can occur as a result of compression of the radicular section of the facial nerve, located in the brain stem. However, the exact causes that provoke nervous disorders are still unknown to medicine.
The most popular theory for the occurrence of involuntary muscle pulsations is compression of the nerves of the face due to the expansion of blood vessels that are located at the base of the brain. It is for thispeople with hypertension and other circulatory disorders are prone to hemafacial spasm.
Facial hemispasm usually develops against the background of the following problems:
- long-term use of hormonal drugs and antibiotics;
- multiple sclerosis;
- hard drug use;
- injuries with further damage to the subcortical regions of the brain;
- tumors in the brain stem.
By the way, facial hemispasm may have hereditary causes. Damage to the nerves of the face in many cases occurs in those whose relatives suffered from a similar ailment. This pathology is most often permanent, so any irritating factors can lead to facial muscle cramps. For example, eating, sudden changes in temperature, coughing and loud noises.
It should be remembered that facial hemispasm is a disease caused by nervous disorders. When the regularity of attacks becomes more frequent, it means that the pathology continues to develop, which quite often affects the general well-being of the patient.
Facial hemispasm: symptoms
The onset of classic hemifacial spasm is accompanied by periodic convulsions of the circular muscles of the eye. Attacks of a pinched nerve with the development of the disease begin to become more frequent, and the affected area expands. When Brissot disease covers completely one side of the face, the eye stops seeing. Atypical hemispasm of the facial nerve, on the contrary, begins withcontraction of the muscles of the cheek, moving gradually to the eye.
Among the main symptoms of hemificial spasm, there are such characteristic signs as:
- Involuntary spasms that do not go away even during sleep.
- The occurrence of an attack due to stress, panic fear, overwork and overexcitation.
- On the affected side of the face expressively traced nasolabial folds.
- The muscles of the face are greatly weakened, the eyelids cannot close completely, and when the eye is closed, the eyebrow rises.
In addition, with hemispasm, the face becomes asymmetrical: in the half where the disease provokes muscle contraction, the wing of the nose and the corner of the mouth are raised.
Diagnostic measures
The doctor makes such a diagnosis based on the clinical picture of the disease and the patient's complaints. Facial hemispasm, the photo of which is presented below, usually begins from the lower eyelid. Over time, the pathology passes to the muscles of the neck, cheeks and chin. Initially, the disease has clonic convulsions, which, as the disease develops, acquire a tonic-clonic character.
Instrumental methods of examination only help to confirm or exclude the presence of a neoplasm in the cranial cavity, where the nerve root of the face is located. Magnetic resonance imaging is performed to detect the proximity of the facial nerve and vessel. True, neuro-vascular conflict in people with such a pathology is not always detected.
Facial hemispasm treatment
This disease is treated in many ways. The choice of method depends on the factors provoking seizures, as well as the nature of the manifestation of a nervous disorder. The most effective treatment can only be selected by a doctor after performing diagnostic studies and discovering potential contraindications to various drugs.
Hemispasm of the facial nerve, which is treated in several ways, can only be eliminated if all the doctor's recommendations are followed. Botulinum toxin is often used today for the symptomatic treatment of hemificial spasm. It is recommended to enter 2-3 times a year. The result of such injections lasts up to 4 months, so patients have to repeat them regularly.
Psychological therapy also helps to relieve a person of involuntary facial muscle spasms, especially when their appearance is provoked by various emotional and stress factors. Specialists in their sessions teach patients self-control techniques so that they can avoid negative manifestations and reduce stress.
Hemispasm is also treated with electrical stimulation. Such treatment is aimed at improving blood circulation in the muscles of the face, which helps to reduce the level of pathological excitability. Moreover, such a procedure contributes to the production of hormones that favorably affect the facial muscles.
Drug therapy
In most cases, facial hemispasm is eliminated with special drugs. These drugs providesoothing effect on the roots of the facial nerves. Medication treatment involves taking medicines aimed at preventing inflammation and improving blood circulation.
Surgical elimination of hemispasm
Often, with involuntary contraction of the facial muscles, doctors resort to neurosurgical surgery. During surgery, a Teflon protector is implanted in the area between the facial nerves and blood vessels. Thus, it turns out to prevent compression of the nerve endings, as a result of which the disease cannot develop. This operation is performed on patients under 40.
Treatment of facial hemispasm with folk remedies
But before proceeding to such treatment, it is necessary to understand that traditional medicine will not completely cure the disease, it will only help alleviate the condition. In addition, you should consult with a specialist.
An effective remedy in the fight against involuntary facial cramps is a compress with lemon juice and garlic. To prepare it, you must first clean and grind a few cloves of this plant, and then pour the resulting slurry with water.
This remedy is boiled for 5 minutes, then it should be cooled and add lemon juice to it, mix everything well and put on cheesecloth. The compress is applied to the affected area on the face until it warms up, then a new mass is prepared. A similar procedure is repeated until the unpleasant symptoms of the disease disappear.
Treat hemafacialspasm can be tried with marshmallow root. A few tablespoons of this component should be poured with boiled water and left to infuse for 8 hours. In the resulting product, a cloth is moistened and applied to the face, paper and a woolen scarf are placed on top of it. It is better to apply the compress in the evening before going to bed. The procedure must be carried out for about 7 days.
A white onion compress helps to fight this pathology. First of all, it must be passed through a meat grinder, and the resulting mixture should be distributed between the layers of a napkin and applied to the problem area.
Getting rid of hemispasm in another way
If pain is bothered by involuntary contractions of the facial muscles, then geranium leaves should be used. They must be laid on a small piece of linen cloth and pressed against the affected area. The procedure should be carried out at least 3 times a day, constantly replacing the leaves with fresh ones. Signs of hemispasm should subside in a few hours.
Nutrition for spasms of facial muscles
Therapy prescribed by a doctor is more effective if the patient is on a diet. It is advisable for such an ailment to consume more foods rich in magnesium, B vitamins and potassium. Such components reduce the risk of hemispasm. It is also recommended to limit or completely eliminate coffee and fatty foods from the diet.
