Understanding Clonic hemifacial spasm: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

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Clonic hemifacial spasm

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

General

Hemifacial spasm is a nervous system disorder in which the muscles on one side of your face twitch involuntarily. It is most often caused by a blood vessel affecting the facial nerve by touching or pulsating against it. It may also be caused by a facial nerve injury or a tumor, or sometimes without a known cause.

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Signs & symptoms

Common symptoms of hemifacial spasm include twitching or contracting of muscles in the face with features of: - On sided - Uncontrollable, independent - Painless

Diagnosis

To diagnose your condition, your healthcare provider will conduct a physical examination and check for signs of hemifacial spasm. To look after the cause of your condition and provide to you the most appropriate treatment, imaging tests may be included.

Treatment

Treatment options include: - Botulinum injections - botulinum toxin (Botox) is injected to your facial muscles to temporarily paralyze those muscles. This treatment is very effective in relieving symptoms in most people. - Other medications such as anticonvulsant drugs, can relieve hemifacial spasm in some people. - Surgery. There are several types of surgery that can help relieve hemifacial spasm. The most popular surgery is the decompression surgery in which your surgeon locates the blood vessel that is pressing on your facial nerve and releases it.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

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