Offering perfect results in Face Twitching treatment, Dr. Be improves the quality of life of his patients with personalized treatment plans. In line with these perfect results, he brings his patients to the results they desire both psychologically and physically.
What is Hemifacial Spasm?
Hemifacial spasm, also known as tic convulsive, is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by frequent contractions or spasm attacks of the muscles in the facial area. Since this disease occurs against the person's will, it is not known when the spasms will occur. For this reason, spasm attacks cannot be prevented in advance, which can greatly affect a person's social life. However, since this condition is not in the form of a painful spasm, it does not pose a life threat to the patient.
These facial twitches, which are a highly complicated disease, first manifest themselves as small contractions of the eyelid. However, in the later stages, it spreads to the lower part of the face and progresses to the mouth. For this reason, we recommend that you go directly to a hemifacial spasm doctor in cases of twitching starting from the eyelid. In this way, you can be treated in a short time by taking the necessary precautions in the early stages of the disease.
What Are The Symptoms of Hemifacial Spasm?
As with any neuromuscular disease, Face Twitch has certain symptoms. These symptoms vary from person to person and are not seen in everyone. The general symptoms of hemifacial spasm disease are as follows;
- Eyelid Contractions: At the beginning of hemifacial disease, small contractions of the eyelid usually occur. These contractions can often increase and lead to eye closure.
- Contractions in the Lower Part of the Face: In the later stages, the contractions affecting the eyelid may spread to the lower part of the face and may also spread around the mouth.
- Contractions around the ear:The contractions that occur in the upper and lower parts of the face spread around the ears over time, causing sudden contractions and withdrawals.
- Facial Asymmetry: Facial twitch may cause facial asymmetry in later stages. Because contractions occurring on one side of the face cause facial asymmetry over time.
- Voice Changes: In the later stages of hemifacial spasm, hoarseness or voice changes with facial asymmetry may be seen.
- Dry Eye:Sudden attacks on the eyelid can cause severe dry eye over time. This can lead to vision problems.
- Difficulty Speaking and Eating:Difficulties in controlling the facial muscles can also lead to problems with speaking and eating.
What Causes Hemifacial Spasm?
Hemifacial Spasm syndrome, also known as Face Twitching, generally occurs when the facial nerve (nervus facialis) is compressed by a blood vessel. This compression usually occurs at the point where the facial nerve exits the brain stem and occurs as a result of the nerve coming into contact with microvascular structures. This damages the myelin sheath of the nerve, making it hypersensitive and causing involuntary contractions.
Other causes of hemifacial spasms include brain tumors, vascular abnormalities or trauma affecting the facial nerve. For this reason, the nerves around the face need to be examined and analyzed in detail in order to fully understand the cause of the condition. In this way, the exact cause of the hemifacial spasm can be determined.
Who does Hemifacial Spasm Affect?
Anyone can get hemifacial spasm, but some people are at higher risk of developing this syndrome. If we need to examine these people in detail, they are divided into 5 groups. These are; Middle-aged and older people, people with high blood pressure and diabetes, people with neurological disorders, people with vascular and nerve anomalies and people with brain stem tumors. If we need to examine the people mentioned;
- Middle Age and Older Individuals: As the myelin sheaths in the nerves of middle-aged individuals wear out over time, the nerves may become more sensitive and involuntary contractions may occur. This increases the risk of hemifacial spasm over time.
- High Blood Pressure and Diabetes Patients:High blood pressure can cause damage to the walls of blood vessels by putting constant pressure on them. This causes the blood vessels to lose their elasticity and harden. This is why patients with high blood pressure and diabetes experience hemifacial spasm, in which the vessels in the facial nerve dilate and press on the nerve.
- People with Neurological Disorders: People who suffer from neurological diseases may have some damage or dysfunction in their nerves. They may therefore experience hemifacial spasm.
- Individuals with Vascular and Nerve Anomalies:Vascular and Nerve Anomalies can cause disturbances in the blood supply to the facial nerve in general. This disturbance causes damage to the nerve tissue and increases the risk of hemifacial spasm.
- People with Brain Stem Tumors:As tumors in the brain stem grow, they can compress the surrounding nerve tissue. This compression can lead to impaired nerve conduction as it exits the brain stem and reaches the facial muscles, causing hemifacial spasm.
How is Hemifacial Spasm Diagnosed?
Contrary to popular belief, hemifacial spasm is diagnosed quite easily. During the diagnosis, the doctor first takes the patient's medical history and questions the symptoms in detail. During this questioning, the surgeon also performs a physical examination. During this examination, the contractions of the patient's facial muscles are observed and the characteristics of these contractions are evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology is also used to confirm the diagnosis. This is because this technology helps to detect anatomical abnormalities that cause pressure on the nerve by visualizing vascular structures and possible tumors around the brain stem and facial nerve. Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction tests are also performed to diagnose the condition and determine individualized treatment methods.
How is Hemifacial Spasm Treated?
There are many different treatment methods for hemifacial spasm. These treatment methods vary depending on the intensity of the disease and the structure of the person. To examine these treatment methods in detail, the treatment methods of hemifacial spasm are as follows;
- Botulinum Toxin Injections
Botulinum Toxin Injections, which are frequently used in hemifacial spasms, relieve symptoms by temporarily stopping involuntary contractions. Although the effectiveness of this treatment method lasts between 3-6 months, injections are performed at regular intervals. Again, this treatment method is applied in patients who do not have an adequate response or who are sensitive to medications.
- Microvascular Decompression Surgery
Microvascular Decompression Surgery, which is recognized as an effective method in hemifacial spasm, ensures that the nerves under pressure are not under pressure. Thus, the symptoms of hemifacial spasm may decrease or disappear completely.
- Neuromodulation Therapies
Neuromodulation Therapy is an alternative treatment option for hemifacial spasm. In general, this treatment modulates neural activity to reduce or control the severity of the spasm.
What to Expect During and After Microvascular Decompression Surgery for Hemifacial Spasms?
This procedure is usually performed in cases where there is more than one pressure on the nerve, but it is preferred to relieve pressure caused by abnormal vessels at the exit point of the trigeminal nerves. In this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision behind the patient's ear and accesses the skull. After this access, the blood vessel is carefully removed from the nerve. Thus, the spasms stop directly after the procedure. However, in some patients, spasm attacks stop one week after the operation.
Since this is a very easy and short procedure, the patient is discharged two or three days after the operation and can return to normal life.
Before and After Hemifacial Spasm Operation
You can view our gallery before and after the hemifacial spasm operation to see the results of successful operations performed by Dr. Be in hemifacial spasm operations.
Hemifacial Spasm Surgery Cost
Turkey, which is in a very favorable position in terms of hemifacial spasm procedure, is also very advantageous in terms of hemifacial spasm syndrome. The main reason for this is that there is an extreme competition in hemifacial spasm surgeries. In addition to this, another reason why the cost of hemifacial spasm is affordable is that Turkey is more favorable in terms of exchange rate and the Ministry of Health provides great support to aesthetic centers.
When we compare the cost of hemifacial spasm surgery in Istanbul with the cost in other cities, we can conclude that Istanbul is more affordable. The main reason for this is that there is more competition in Istanbul. For this reason, you can experience a more comfortable process by choosing aesthetic centers in Istanbul.
Doctor Berke, One of Turkey's Best Hemifacial Spasm Surgeons
Dr. Be, one of the most successful hemifacial spasm surgeons in Turkey, offers perfect results in hemifacial spasm surgery. Thus, it allows you to have the look you want by achieving your dream look without any problems.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hemifacial Spasm
Will Hemifacial Spasm Return After Treatment?
After hemifacial spasm, the spasm attacks stop immediately. However, depending on the person's constitution, in some cases the attacks stop completely 1 week after treatment.
Is Hemifacial Spasm a Temporary or Chronic Condition?
Hemifacial spasm is generally a chronic condition. It should therefore be treated carefully by professional and specialized doctors.
Publications about Facelift & Rejuvenation
Cakmak O, Özücer B, Aktekin M, Özkurt FE, Al-Salman R, Emre IE.
Aesthet Surg J. 2018 Nov 12;38(12):1269-1279. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjy062.
PMID: 29509842
Cakmak O, Emre IE, Özücer B.
Facial Plast Surg. 2018 Feb;34(1):59-65. doi: 10.1055/s-0037-1615283. Epub 2018 Feb 6.
PMID: 29409105 Review.
