what treatment is there for hemifacial spasm

Can Neurontin help in treating hemifacial spasm?

Yes you can take Neurontin Detailed Answer: Hi Greetings from Dr Divakara P Thanks for posting your query. I think its neurontin which contains Gabapentin. Yes this medicine can be used for Hemifacial spasm ( though my first choice is Carbamazepine) The dose varies from 300mg to 1800 mg which will be decided by the treating doctor.

How to stop muscle spasms quickly?

There are several things you can take by mouth that may help with your muscle spasms:

• NSAIDs. Over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) often bring relief by reducing inflammation and pain.
• Pickle juice. Drinking a small amount of pickle juice reportedly relieves cramping muscles within 30 to 35 seconds. ...
• Supplements. ...
• Natural muscle relaxers. ...

How to stop facial spasms?

Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following medications to relax your face muscles:

• baclofen (Lioresal)
• clonazepam (Klonopin)
• carbamazepine (Tegretol)

Where is the acupressure point for hemifacial spasm?

Hemifacial spasm is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by frequent, involuntary contractions of muscles on one side of your face. The condition can continue until half of your face appears to "droop." Acupuncture may be beneficial for nervous system disorders. Points on the face and body are thought to stimulate proper nervous system function.

What is the best treatment for hemifacial spasm?

For most people, botulinum toxin injections are the most effective treatment for hemifacial spasm. A healthcare provider uses a tiny needle to inject a small amount of botulinum toxin around affected facial muscles. These injections temporarily weaken the muscles and stop the spasms.

How do you stop hemifacial spasms naturally?

How can I treat hemifacial spasms?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.

Do hemifacial spasms get worse?

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.

Should I go to the doctor for hemifacial spasm?

Many people consult their primary care physicians when they first experience the symptoms of hemifacial spasm. Since the spasms may be caused (rarely) by a tumor or a vascular malformation, patients should be referred to a qualified neurosurgeon for evaluation before any treatment begins.

What triggers hemifacial spasm?

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 may also be caused by a facial nerve injury or a tumor. Sometimes there is no known cause.

How safe is Botox injection for a Hemifacial twitch?

Injection of BTX into the orbicularis oculi muscle is a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of HFS and effectively induces sustained relief from symptoms in the long term (10 years in this study), with only minimal and transient adverse reactions.

How do people live with hemifacial spasms?

Hemifacial Spasm Treatment Medications like anticonvulsants can help reduce the severity of facial twitches from hemifacial spasm. Muscle-relaxing injections such as Botox® may also be recommended as a nonsurgical approach to hemifacial spasm treatment.

Can stress cause hemifacial spasms?

Patients with hemifacial spasm suffer primarily from the associated psychosocial stress. Furthermore, pronounced spasm of the orbicularis oculi muscle can impair bilateral vision, which is required for reading or driving (7). The symptoms are often accentuated by psychological tension and during speaking.

Is hemifacial spasm rare?

Hemifacial spasm is a rare condition. The estimated prevalence of hemifacial spasm worldwide is 14.5 per 100,000 women and 7.4 per 100,000 men suggesting females are twice more prone to have hemifacial spasm than males.

What kind of doctor do you see for facial twitching?

You and your neurologist or neurosurgeon can discuss which treatment would be best for your hemifacial spasm. For more information, call Request an appointment with a neurosurgeon today.

Where do you inject Botox for hemifacial spasm?

Patient is initially assessed for the various muscles involved. Each muscle is injected with dosages that vary for the individual muscle. The most commonly injected muscles are the orbicularis oculi (upper and lower eyelids), corrugator, frontalis, zygomaticus major, buccinators, and masseter.

Can anxiety cause facial spasms?

These are common symptoms of anxiety. Muscle twitches can be slow, sporadic, intermittent, or involve muscle tremors. They can last for seconds or even hours and can affect any part of the body, such as the arms, legs, facial muscles, abdominal muscles, and neck.

Information About the Disorder

Everyone has experienced a twitch in their facial muscles occasionally, such as an annoying small twitch in the eye area. Hemifacial spasms are different from this random occurrence. This disorder involves the nervous system, and the spasms occur frequently and, sometimes, almost constantly.

Treatment Options

Using prescription drugs for hemifacial spasm treatment is not a viable option because drugs generally have little or no effect on the facial contractions. Your physician may suggest you try injections of botulinum toxin (Botox).

Effectiveness of Microvascular Decompression (MVD)

Microvascular decompression (MVD) is a permanent way to rid the patient of the involuntary facial spasms. Research shows that many patients who undergo MVD surgery receive total relief from the twitching and other symptoms of hemifacial spasms. The incision is quite small, so the recovery process is much faster than with a traditional surgery.

Risks of the Procedure

Every surgical procedure involves risks, however, when MVD surgery is performed by an experienced neurosurgical team, serious risks are significantly minimized. Your surgeon will discuss the risks involved and the odds of them occurring before you agree to the procedure.

What Happens During the Surgery?

You will be prepped for the surgical procedure and be given a general anesthesia (you are asleep during surgery). The neurosurgeon shaves a relatively small section of your hair behind your ear. Then, a small incision is made in the back of your head.

After the Surgery

During your hospital stay, you may experience nausea or have a headache. These problems are easily controlled with medications. You will be sent home within a day or two and given a prescription for pain medication that helps to alleviate any headaches or discomfort you experience.

How to treat hemifacial spasms?

For most people, botulinum toxin injections are the most effective treatment for hemifacial spasm. A healthcare provider uses a tiny needle to inject a small amount of botulinum toxin around affected facial muscles. These injections temporarily weaken the muscles and stop the spasms.

What is the best way to diagnose hemifacial spasm?

Your healthcare provider will conduct a neurological exam to diagnose hemifacial spasm. Neurological exams help evaluate your brain function. You’ll likely have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI uses radio waves and magnets to create images of the inside of your body.

What are the symptoms of hemifacial spasm?

Some conditions have symptoms that are like those of hemifacial spasm. Conditions that affect the facial nerves include: Bell’s palsy. Head and neck tumors, which may be benign (not cancer) or head and neck cancer. Trigeminal neuralgia.

What is the best treatment for spasms in the brain?

These medications interrupt the brain’s electrical signals that cause spasms. Common oral medications include: Carbamazepine (Tegretol®). Clonazepam (Klonopin ®). Baclofen (Lioresal®).

Can hemifacial spasms be controlled?

Hemifacial spasm causes twitching that you can’t control on one side of the face. Usually, symptoms start around the eye and move downward. There is no cure, but medicine, botulinum toxin injections or surgery can help control your symptoms.

Hemifacial Spasm Diagnosis

Once you see a doctor for a facial twitch, you may then be referred to a neurologist to diagnose hemifacial spasms.

Hemifacial Spasm Treatment

While there is no surefire cure for hemifacial spasms, symptoms may be controlled with:

What to Expect During and After Microvascular Decompression Surgery for Hemifacial Spasms

Microvascular decompression is performed under general anesthesia. It begins with the neurosurgeon making a tiny incision behind a patient’s ear to access the skull through a small, one-inch opening.

Do You Have a Facial Twitch? Contact Us

Hemifacial spasms are more than a nuisance and can significantly impact your quality of life. Our specialists can help. You and your neurologist or neurosurgeon can discuss which treatment would be best for your hemifacial spasm. For more information, call Request an appointment with a neurosurgeon today.

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What can I do for hemifacial spasms?

Medicines. These can occasionally be helpful when the spasms are mild or infrequent. Anti-epileptic medicines such as carbamazepine and topiramate can be helpful in some people with hemifacial spasm. These medicines work by quieting nerve impulses.

What is the procedure to remove hemifacial spasm?

There are several surgical procedures that can be done. Microvascular decompression is one type. It involves moving the blood vessel that may be pressing on the facial nerve. This often cures the condition but may be unsuitable for some patients with hemifacial spasm.

What is a spasm in the face?

A spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles. Hemifacial means half of the face. The muscles of the face are all controlled by the facial nerve. There is a facial nerve for each side of the face. It starts deep inside your brain and makes its way past many structures to reach the face.

How many people in the UK have hemifacial spasms?

In the UK there are thought to be about 4,000 people with hemifacial spasm. It affects men and women, although women tend to be affected slightly more often than men. Symptoms usually start in middle age.

Why does my face spasm?

At the moment, doctors believe the main cause is pressure on the facial nerve from a structure or abnormality within the brain. The most common finding is a blood vessel at the base of the brain, pressing on the nerve. There are other, rare causes too such as infections or strokes.

Is hemifacial spasm dangerous?

It usually starts with a twitching around one eye. It may gradually involve your mouth also. There are different types of treatment. Although the condition is not dangerous, it can affect quality of life.

Can you hear clicking sound when you have a spasm?

Some people also hear a clicking sound on the side that is affected when the spasm comes. Some people may have quite a mild condition that causes inconvenience and embarrassment. Others find the spasms may affect their vision and their ability to drive. As the other eye is not affected, they are still able to see.

What is the treatment for hemifacial spasm?

Medical Management for Hemifacial Spasm. Treatment for hemifacial convulsion consists of medications, injections and in specific cases, which do not respond well to any treatment, surgical alternatives may be considered. Medications are successfully used for treatment of hemifacial spasm. These include.

What supplements are good for hemifacial spasms?

In such cases, together with a healthy diet, nutritional supplements may be advised. Magnesium, calcium, iron or other minerals and vitamin B12, folic acid and B complex might help to handle hemifacial spasm in many cases. Minerals and vitamin supplements may be recommended, as suitable in such cases.

What test is used to diagnose hemifacial spasm?

Investigations for hemifacial spasm include: Electromyogram (EMG)– This test helps to study the activity of the facial muscles, when the muscles is at rest and when it is promoted.

What are the sensory and motor functions of the facial nerve?

The sensory and motor functions of the facial nerve might be studied. Muscle twitching in hemifacial spasm are kept in mind, their pattern and the impacted sides are considered. Balance of face is studied and the afflicted side is compared with opposite of the face to understand the condition of hemifacial spasm.

How does hemifacial convulsion affect women?

Hemifacial convulsion frequently impacts individuals during their middle ages, women being more vulnerable to experience this condition.

What is a hemifacial spasm?

Author: Reyus Mammadli (Health Care Advisor) Hemifacial spasm is a neuromuscular condition characterized by frequent, uncontrolled contractions of muscles on one side of your face. The condition can continue till half of your face appears to “droop.”. Facial twitching usually impacts any one half of the face and the condition is medically described ...

What causes hemifacial convulsions?

Injuries or trauma to this area can typically take place during sports, due to direct blow over the neck and ear area, or a fall triggering nerve injury. Car mishaps, rear or front end collisions and whiplash, too can typically cause hemifacial convulsion.

What is hemifacial spasm?

Background: Hemifacial spasm is a neuromuscular movement disorder characterized by brief or persistent involuntary contractions of the muscles innervated by the facial nerve. Its prevalence has been estimated at 11 cases per 100 000 individuals. Among the patients who were operated on by our team, the mean interval from diagnosis to surgery was 8.2 years, and more than half of them learned of the possibility of surgical treatment only through a personal search for information on the condition. These facts motivated us to write this article to raise the awareness of hemifacial spasm and its neurosurgical treatment among physicians who will encounter it.

How often do you need to repeat botulinum toxin injections?

85-95% of patients obtain moderate or marked relief from local injections of botulinum toxin (BTX), which must be repeated every 3 to 4 months. Alternatively, microvascular decompression has a success rate of about 85%. ...

Overview and Facts about Hemifacial Spasms

Hemifacial spasm is a neuromuscular disorder that causes involuntary facial muscle twitching or spasms. This condition typically occurs on only one side of the face (hemi), but in rare cases, it can affect both sides of the face. This disorder affects men and women but is most common in middle-aged and older women.

Signs and Symptoms of Hemifacial Spasms

The severity of this condition can vary widely. Initially, patients may notice a small twitching of the eyelid, which may force the eye to shut; as the disorder progresses, patients experience more noticeable symptoms, including:

Causes and Risk Factors of Hemifacial Spasms

Hemifacial spasm is most commonly caused by a small blood vessel compressing the facial nerve at the brainstem, known as the seventh cranial nerve. Also known as CN VII, this nerve carries both motor and sensory fibers and is responsible for facial expressions.

Tests and Diagnosis of Hemifacial Spasms

Hemifacial spasm (movement disorder) is diagnosed by a specialist in neurology, known as a neurologist, based on symptoms and a neurologic exam.

Treatment and Care for Hemifacial Spasms

Several treatment options are available to help manage symptoms, including injections of botulinum toxin (botox). Injecting botox into the affected muscles of the patient’s face temporarily paralyzes those muscles, relieving the spasms. The effects are temporary and must be repeated every three to six months.

What is the best medication for muscle spasms?

Anticonvulsants are used to manage severe muscle spasms and provide analgesia and mild sedation. Anticonvulsants are probably the best medications in terms of efficacy and long-term safety when botulinum toxin and surgery are not options. Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Equetro, Epitol, Carbatrol) View full drug information.

What is the treatment for abnormal muscle contractions?

The goal of pharmacotherapy is reduction of abnormal muscle contractions. Botulinum toxin type A is the treatment of choice. [ 16, 17] Carbamazepine, benzodiazepines, and baclofen may also be used in patients who refuse BTX injections or who are not surgical candidates.

Does baclofen inhibit polysynaptic reflexes?

Muscle relaxants may inhibit the transmission of monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflexes at the spinal cord level. Baclofen (Lioresal, Gablofen) View full drug information. Baclofen (Lioresal) may induce hyperpolarization of afferent terminals and inhibit both monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflexes at the spinal level.

Is tegretol a hemifacial spasm?

View full drug information. Carbamazepine (Tegretol) is effective in the treatment of hemifacial spasm and complex partial seizures. It appears to act by reducing polysynaptic responses and blocking posttetanic potentiation.

Information About The Disorder

Treatment Options

Effectiveness of Microvascular Decompression

Risks of The Procedure

What Happens During The Surgery?

• Using prescription drugs for hemifacial spasm treatmentis not a viable option because drugs generally have little or no effect on the facial contractions. Your physician may suggest you try injections of botulinum toxin (Botox). Botox is typically injected into the affected muscles, but it’s only a temporary solution and can have unpleasant side ef...

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After The Surgery