Facts about Facial Nerve Twitching
Facial nerve twitching which is also commonly called tics is referred to as hemifacial spasms by medical professionals. All of these refer to the problem of involuntary twitching that sometimes affects patients. Twitching is not in any way a life-threatening or critical illness but it can be devastating if it is persistent and completely unpredictable. It is helpful to understand a little about this problem to approach it with a degree of calmness and confidence.
Types of facial nerve twitching
There is a form of tic that affects people for a short period of time during childhood and this is called transient tic and there is a less common form of the problem that tends to last through people’s lives which is a chronic version of the condition.
In both cases, there are one or more involuntary facial movements. These can be grimacing, twitching near the mouth, repeated blinking, wrinkling of the nose or even throat clearing. Any of the nerves and muscles in the facial region that is moving without the volition of the patient is considered to be a twitch.
Causes of twitching
There is no clear identifiable cause for twitching in most cases. In clinical terms this is called idiopathic. It occurs spontaneously and seems to be aggravated during periods of stress or tension. Generally, paying attention to it does increase the frequency probably because of heightened nerves at that point.
In some instances when it develops in an adult after an accident or some other nerve or muscle injury it may be seen as the root cause. In such cases the facial nerve twitching is likely to be one of several nerve related problems.
There has been some expert opinion that some drugs have a side effect which causes facial nerve twitching. This theory was proposed about drugs used to treat attention deficit disorder and similar problems but there has been no concrete evidence to make the correlation.
Treatment for facial tics
Childhood facial tics are seen as a transient problem and in most cases they are not treated. Reducing stress and encouraging calmness in the atmosphere and in the individual goes a long way in controlling facial nerve twitching. Given that psychological stress and pressure aggravates the situation, counseling may be helpful for some patients. This is a particularly good idea for children who have to learn to cope with this problem which can make them feel self-conscious or awkward. The tic may be transient but the psychological impact of the problem can sometimes be really long lasting – this should be taken seriously and parents and other adults with influence should work to establish a child’s sense of self-confidence. Adults with tics can also benefit from counseling along with other calming daily rituals.
Persistent and disabling tics have to be examined by a doctor. There will be an investigation to figure out the muscle groups that are affected. It is possible that the tic is indication of other nerve related problems and in this case it is important to respond promptly to the tics. In Tourette Syndrome, facial tics are one of the symptoms. There are some tics that are treatable by drugs such as Risperidone. A doctor will be able to assess the cases where drugs are a good approach.
Those with tics may not be heartened to hear that it is in some senses uncontrollable. However, it is important to appreciate that this is in essence a cosmetic problem and should not be given undue importance. A person suffering from a tic can do much to down play the problem and this may be a better strategy for managing it than anything else.