{"id":891,"date":"2018-06-14T14:25:00","date_gmt":"2018-06-14T14:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/davidchangspine.com\/?p=891"},"modified":"2023-09-19T15:09:27","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T15:09:27","slug":"how-to-treat-facial-twitching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davidchangspine.com\/how-to-treat-facial-twitching\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Treat Facial Twitching"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Facial twitching, medically known as a hemifacial spasm, is categorized by an involuntary twitching or contraction of the facial muscles on one side of a person\u2019s face. Your facial muscles are controlled by the facial nerve, which begins at the brainstem and exits the skull below the ear. It is a motor nerve that controls your eyebrows, mouth and lips, but if it becomes damaged or compressed, it can cause muscle spasms that lead to facial twitching. Below, we take a closer look at facial twitching, and we explain how to treat it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Causes and Symptoms of Face Twitching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we noted above, facial twitching is usually caused by acute injury or compression of the facial nerve, but it can also be brought on by a condition known as Bell\u2019s palsy. The most common point for compression of the facial nerve<\/a> is right near its origin in the brainstem, and the compression is often caused by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery. When the nerve is compressed, it begins to misfire, which results in facial muscle contraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since facial twitching is a symptom in and of itself, there are not a lot of other symptoms that appear when the facial nerve is compressed, although some people do report mild to moderate pain. In the vast majority of cases, the spasms start close to the eye and progress down the face as time goes on. In about eight percent of cases, the facial twitching begins near the chin and progresses up towards the eye. The average age of a person who deals with this condition is 44 years old, and is more likely to be female.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diagnosing and Treating Facial Twitching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re experiencing acute or chronic facial twitching, or if the spasms are becoming more frequent, give Dr. Chang or a specialist in your area a call. He\u2019ll begin the diagnostic process by reviewing your medical history and asking you about your symptoms. From there, he\u2019ll conduct a physical exam that may include some manipulation exercises to see if compression triggers the spasm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once he has an idea of what might be causing your facial twitches, he\u2019ll confirm his suspicions with an imaging test like an MRI, which can also rule out issues like a brain tumor or aneurysm. An electromyogram may also be conducted to study the nerve and muscle activity in your face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve been diagnosed with a hemifacial spasm, you have a variety of treatment options available to you based on the underlying cause of the condition. Here\u2019s a look at some treatment options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n