Hemifacial spasm is a pathology of the nervous system, the main symptom of which is facial muscle spasm/convulsion.
It is formed as a result of compression of the facial motor nerve by a vascular loop or artery. The patient notices a muscle spasm, which initially begins in the eyelid area, but over time the spasm spreads to other facial muscles.
As already mentioned, the main symptom is an involuntary contraction of the muscles innervated by the facial nerve on one side of the face. In very rare clinical cases, the second part of the face is also involved in the process.
Physical examination, differentiation of complaint is provided for diagnosis.
Magnetic resonance imaging is sometimes prescribed. It should be noted that the need for magnetic resonance imaging and other radiological studies does not always arise - these research methods are defined for those patients who do not have pronounced symptoms characteristic of hemifacial spasm or have a history of surgical intervention, or require surgical treatment.
Hemifacial spasm treatment methods are:
- Botulinum injection for symptom management;
- Other spasm-reducing medications;
- Surgery.
There are two methods of surgical treatment:
- Decompression - the surgeon enters the skull and opens the hard shell of the brain. As a result, the facial nerve is exposed. After that, the surgeon easily finds the blood vessel that supplies the facial nerve. Then he places a sponge-like medical material between the nerve and the blood vessel - in this way the pressure on the nerve is weakened;
- Another effective procedure is to disintegrate the entire facial nerve with surgery and heat radio waves (radiofrequency thermocoagulation).
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemifacial-spasm/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373299
