Hemifacial spasm is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by frequent involuntary contractions (spasms) of the muscles on one side (hemi-) of the face (facial). The disorder occurs in both men and women, although it more frequently affects middle-aged or elderly women. The first symptom is usually an intermittent twitching of the eyelid muscle that can lead to forced closure of the eye. The spasm may then gradually spread to involve the muscles of the lower face, which may cause the mouth to be pulled to one side. Eventually the spasms involve all of the muscles on one side of the face almost continuously. The condition may be caused by a facial nerve injury, or a tumor, or it may have no apparent cause. Rarely, doctors see individuals with spasm on both sides of the face. Most often hemifacial spasm is caused by a blood vessel pressing on the facial nerve at the place where it exits the brainstem.
Surgical treatment in the form of microvascular decompression, which relieves pressure on the facial nerve, will relieve hemifacial
spasm in many cases. Other treatments include injections of botulinum toxin (commonly called Botox) into the affected areas
and drug therapy with medications such as clonazepam, diazepam, and levodopa, which are used to relax the muscles.
Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation 637 North 7th Street Suite 102 P.O. Box 12468 Beaumont, TX 77726-2468 bebrf@blepharospasm.org http://www.blepharospasm.org Tel: 409-832-0788 Fax: 409-832-0890 |
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) P.O. Box 1968 (55 Kenosia Avenue) Danbury, CT 06813-1968 orphan@rarediseases.org http://www.rarediseases.org Tel: 203-744-0100 Voice Mail 800-999-NORD (6673) Fax: 203-798-2291 |
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Last updated June 27, 2008