Hemifacial Spasm

Home » Hemifacial Spasm » Overview, Incidence and Prevalence, Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis

Overview

Hemifacial spasm is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by frequent, involuntary muscle contractions (tics or spasms) in the face. It usually affects only one side of the face, but in severe cases, tics may occur on both sides.

The early symptom is usually an intermittent tic of the eyelid muscle, which may eventually lead to complete closure of the eye. The spasm may then spread and eventually involve all of the muscles in the affected side of the face.

Incidence and Prevalence
Hemifacial spasm usually occurs in middle-aged and older people and is more common in women. It is rare, affecting 8 out of 100,000 men and 15 out of 100,000 women in the United States. Left-sided spasm is slightly more common than right- sided spasm.

Risk Factors

Being middle-aged or older is a risk factor for hemifacial spasm. If a person younger than 40 is affected, there may be an underlying neurological disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis).

Hemifacial spasm may be caused by an injury to the seventh cranial, or facial, nerve; a tumor or a blood vessel pressing on the nerve; or Bell's palsy. The cause may also be unknown. One of the most common triggers is a blood vessel pressing against the facial nerve, which causes the surrounding muscles to twitch or spasm.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptom is facial muscle spasm that usually begins in the eyelid and around the eye. The spasm varies in intensity and in how much of the face it affects.

Diagnosis

A complete neurological exam is performed and if the physician suspects hemifacial spasm, an electromyogram is ordered. Most cases of hemifacial spasm are caused by a blood vessel pressing on the facial nerve, and this vessel is usually too small to be detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CAT scan), or angiography. These imaging tests are usually ordered when a lesion or tumor is suspected.

An electromyogram is used to diagnose muscle problems caused by nerve dysfunction. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and takes about 2 hours. A small needle is inserted into each muscle being examined. The needle is attached to a wire and connected to a device that records electrical activity produced when the patient contracts and releases each muscle.

Hemifacial Spasm, Overview, Incidence and Prevalence, Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis reprinted with permission from vision.healthcommunities.com
© 1998-2009 Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hemifacial Spasm Resources

	Join Our Hemifacial Spasm Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar.