Hemifacial spasm

Hemifacial spasm

overview

Hemifacial spasm is a nervous system disorder in which the muscles on one side of your face twitch involuntarily. Hemifacial spasm is most often caused by a blood vessel touching or pulsating against a facial nerve. It can also be caused by a facial nerve injury or a tumor. Sometimes there is no known cause.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of hemifacial spasm include twitching or contractions of the facial muscles, which usually occur:

• Auf einer Seite des Gesichts
• Unkontrollierbar
• Schmerzlos

These contractions often begin in the eyelid, then can progress to affect the cheeks and mouth on the same side of the face. First, partial spasms come and go. But eventually, usually over the course of several months to a few years, they occur almost constantly.

Occasionally, hemilateral spasms may occur on both sides of the face. However, the twitching does not occur on both sides of the face at the same time.

Causes

Hemifacial spasm is most often caused by a blood vessel touching a facial nerve. It can also be caused by a facial nerve injury or a tumor. Sometimes there is no apparent cause.

Hemifacial spasms can sometimes be triggered by:

• Bewegen der Gesichtsmuskeln
• Angst
• Betonen
• Ermüdung

Hemifacial spasm care

Sources:

1. Jankovic J, et al. Parkinson-Krankheit und andere Bewegungsstörungen. In: Bradley und Daroffs Neurologie in der klinischen Praxis. 8. Aufl. Elsevier, 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Abgerufen am 29. April 2021.
2. Chaudhry N. et al. Halbgesichtsspasmus: Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft. Zeitschrift für neurologische Wissenschaften. 2015; doi:10.1016/j.jns.2015.06.032.
3. Hemifazialer Spasmus. Merck Manual Professional-Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/neuro-ophthalmologic-and-cranial-nerve-disorders/hemifacial-spasm. Abgerufen am 29. April 2021.
4. Riggin EA. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo-Klinik. 20. Januar 2021.