Hemifacial Spasms

WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY TREATED?

A single, unexpected twitch of a muscle happens to everyone now and again. However, if you have an ongoing facial twitch or spasm that interferes with daily life, causes embarrassment, or annoyance – it may be a hemifacial spasm.

Hemifacial spasms can be caused by an injury to the face that damages the facial nerve. However, most often, this condition is caused by a blood vessel compressing the facial nerve. In rare cases, there may be a tumor present or sometimes the cause of the spasm is unknown.

Symptoms

Often the only symptoms of this condition are an unwanted spasm or involuntary movement of the facial muscles. In rare instances, such as when the contraction is caused by a previous facial injury, there may be pain that accompanies the movement.

Treatment

Your neurosurgeon will discuss all of your treatment options with you. There are several treatment avenues available.

BOTOX® injections
Anti-convulsant medications
Microvascular decompression surgery

If surgical intervention is necessary, it is minimally invasive with the goal of relieving pressure from the aggravated nerve by distancing the blood vessel or interfering structure.