Know more about Hemifacial Spasm (Face Twitching)

Details: Category: Region 9; Published: 29 January 2022

Hemifacial Twitching In this article, we will explore and understand hemifacial spasms commonly known as face twitching. Hemifacial spasm is a chronic condition and a neurological disorder that causes involuntary face twitching. It causes involuntary muscle twitches (spasms) on one side (hemi-) of the face (facial). No one is exempted from getting this condition. Both men and women can get a hemifacial spasm. Women over 40 are more likely to have this condition.

The hemifacial spasm occurs because of compressed facial nerves. Nerves are the organs that send electrical impulses from one part of the body to another. This network of electrical signals makes up your nervous system. Most often, twitches occur because a blood vessel (the tube that carries blood around the body) presses a facial nerve. Benign (not cancer) head and neck tumors may also press on nerves. Sometimes, the facial twitches have no obvious cause. When there is no known cause, healthcare providers call the condition idiopathic 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 a hemifacial spasm, eye twitching progresses to twitching in other parts of the face. With hemifacial spasm, twitches can pull the mouth to one side. Over time, twitches occur continuously. The spasms may worsen when you’re stressed or tired. If you have a hemifacial spasm, you can minimize your symptoms by avoiding fatigue, limiting caffeine and other stimulants, managing anxiety, minimizing stress. Your healthcare provider will conduct a neurological exam to diagnose hemifacial spasm. Neurological exams help evaluate your brain function. You’ll likely have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI uses radio waves and magnets to create images of the inside of your body.

You may be able to reduce your symptoms at home simply by getting plenty of rest and limiting how much caffeine you drink, which can calm your nerves. Having certain nutrients can also help reduce your spasms, including:

vitamin D, which you can get from eggs, milk, and sunlight
magnesium, which you can get from almonds and bananas
chamomile, which is available as a tea or as tablets
blueberries, which contain muscle-relaxing antioxidants

The most common treatment for these spasms is an oral muscle relaxer that keeps your muscles from twitching. Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following medications to relax your face muscles: baclofen (Lioresal), clonazepam (Klonopin) and carbamazepine (Tegretol). Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections are also commonly used to treat hemifacial spasms. In this treatment, your doctor will use a needle to inject small amounts of Botox chemicals into your face near the muscles that are twitching. Botox makes the muscles weak and can reduce your spasms for three to six months before you need another injection. Talk to your doctor before taking any of these medications about any possible side effects or interactions with other medications you may already be taking.

If medications and Botox aren’t successful, your doctor may also recommend surgery to relieve any pressure on the facial nerve that may be caused by a tumor or a blood vessel. A common surgery used to treat hemifacial spasms is called microvascular decompression (MVD). In this procedure, your doctor makes a small opening in your skull behind your ear and puts a piece of Teflon padding between the nerve and the blood vessels pushing on it. This surgery only takes a few hours at most, and you’ll likely be able to go home after a few days of recovery. Stress and fatigue are two contributing factors of Hemifacial spasms. So while you are still young, take good care of yourself, avoid stress and live a healthy and happy life. It is your key to a better life!

NO I Zamubec Alomar C. Adlawan, RND

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