Pinched facial nerve: symptoms, treatment, prevention

What is facial neuritis

Under the influence of a number of negative factors - hypothermia, increased emotional stress, tumor processes in the brain - a narrowing of the arteries supplying the facial nerve occurs. Blood cannot move normally through the capillaries and stagnates in them.

Neuritis of the facial nerve is a unilateral inflammatory lesion of the branches of the facial nerve, manifested by partial or complete disruption of facial expressions of half the face up to paralysis, as well as loss of speech, hearing and taste functions.

May be a consequence of exacerbation of herpes, hypertension, hypothermia, tumors and brain injuries, ENT pathology, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and pregnancy.

Treatment is prescribed after identifying the cause of inflammation.

As a result, significant tissue swelling occurs, which causes compression of the veins and lymphatic vessels.

The damaged nerve is deprived of normal blood supply and nutrition. Cells undergo negative changes in the absence of sufficient oxygen. The nerve trunk swells, and numerous hemorrhages appear in its structures.

According to medical statistics, in 94% of cases, damage to the facial nerve is unilateral, and only in 6% - bilateral. Sometimes pathology may indicate infectious processes in the human body.

Causes

Until now, no clear cause of the pathology has been identified. However, there are a number of factors that are associated with its possible appearance:

virus infection . Typically, the pathogen, penetrating the human body, does not show itself with characteristic symptoms. But when the immune system malfunctions, the pathogenic element begins to actively progress and multiply.
Hypothermia. The situation leads to a decrease in the body's resistance to the introduction of viruses and bacteria. If a person stays in a draft for a long time, this can cause vasospasm, and subsequently a disruption of the blood supply to the nerve.
Uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages. Ethyl alcohol in large quantities poisons the human body. It negatively affects not only the functioning of the brain, but also the state of the nervous system as a whole.
High blood pressure. The condition leads to increased pressure inside the skull and trauma to the nuclei of the facial nerve.
The period of bearing a child. Most often, compression of the facial nerve occurs in pregnant women in the 1st trimester. Hormonal changes have a negative impact on the functioning of the nervous system.
Brain tumors. A rare but common cause of the problem. The tumor compresses the nerve fibers and impairs the passage of impulses.
injuries . Strong blows and bruises cause damage and rupture of nerve endings. Fluid accumulates in the area of the damaged area and swelling occurs, spreading to the entire face.
Consequences of caries in the oral cavity. Facial neuritis develops as a consequence of an infection that has penetrated from the carious cavity into the blood.
Untreated otitis and sinusitis.
Diabetes . When the disease occurs, the metabolism in the body is disrupted, resulting in foci of inflammation.
Multiple sclerosis. The pathology is accompanied by destruction of the nerve sheath and the formation of sclerotic plaques in their place.

The most common cause of facial neuritis is frequent stressful situations and severe emotional shocks. Nervous stress not only contributes to inflammation of the facial muscles, but also to the development of more serious pathologies.

Prognosis for cure

The prognosis for cure will be primarily determined by the cause that caused the changes. Inflammatory and infectious diseases respond well to drug therapy, and accordingly, signs of neuritis are quickly eliminated. This is provided that the patient strictly adheres to the treatment. The consequence of failure to comply with the doctor’s instructions will be a transition to the chronic stage of the disease, which worsens the prognosis for full recovery. Acute vascular accidents (stroke), traumatic injuries and tumors can lead to permanent neurological changes.

Symptoms

Signs of a problem usually appear suddenly. First, the facial muscles become immobilized, and the following symptoms appear:

disappearance of frontal and nasolabial folds;
asymmetry ;
inability to close the eyelid on the affected side of the face;
change in the shape of the eye section;
numbness of the facial muscles;
difficulty eating food - liquid is not retained in the patient’s mouth, and he cannot chew solid foods;
inability to blink eyes;
taste disorders;
lack of facial expressions on one half of the face;
inability to clearly pronounce words;
decreased hearing function;
swelling of the cheeks when inhaling and exhaling.

In general, pathological symptoms depend on the point of inflammation. The facial nerve consists of 3 branches.

Disorders that do not affect the greater petrosal nerve, in addition to facial immobility, will be accompanied by other signs: decreased taste perception and decreased salivation. The same symptoms will accompany inflammation of the facial nerve located before the origin of the stapedius process.

Facial nerve neurosis

Neurosis of the facial nerve is sometimes confused with neuritis, although it has nothing to do with inflammation. Tibetan medicine classifies it as a disease of the Wind system and considers its main cause to be nervous, emotional stress, psycho-emotional disorders, and mental fatigue. Often this disease accompanies depression, anxiety and fear neuroses.

Symptoms of facial neurosis are spasms of facial muscles, nervous tics in the form of blinking, twitching of the face, obsessive, involuntary swallowing. Sometimes nervous tics are accompanied by a feeling of numbness, tingling or burning.

Muscle twitching can start from the cheek, then move to the eye area, the orbicularis muscle. This causes symptoms of blepharospasm - frequent blinking, photophobia, dry eyes. When severe, blepharospasm can result in the inability to see out of one eye.

What to do if the facial nerve on the cheek twitches? Symptomatic treatment of facial neurosis consists of the use of antispasmodics, sedatives, and anticonvulsants. In Eastern medicine, these drugs are not used because they do not affect the cause of the disorder. Instead, the Tibet Clinic uses complex herbal medicine.

Diagnostics

An experienced neurologist will be able to diagnose the problem with the naked eye. But to determine the cause of the disease, a number of instrumental studies will be needed.

CBC (complete blood count)

The development of the disease is indicated by the following indicators:

increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
increased number of leukocytes;
decrease in lymphocytes as a percentage.

Analysis data may indicate chronic meningitis or otitis media, which caused compression of the facial nerve.

MRI

Thanks to the procedure, some causes of the disease can be identified:

tumors in the brain;
progressive heart attack;
abnormal arrangement of blood vessels;
damage to the meninges .

MRI allows the neurologist to prescribe an appropriate treatment regimen for the patient.

CT

The procedure, like MRI, allows you to identify the anomalies that caused facial neuralgia:

tumors;
stroke;
brain injuries

Depending on the CT results, a tactic will be chosen to combat the problem - removal of the tumor or restoration of blood supply.

Electroneuromyography

The procedure allows you to determine the speed of propagation of impulses along the nerve. The following data indicate the signs of the disease:

reduced speed of electrical signals;
impulse transmission to one of the nerve branches;
insufficient number of muscles excited by electrical signals;
weak reaction of the facial muscles to conducted impulses.

Electromyography

The technique detects impulses in muscles without exposure to electric current. The study is often prescribed in combination with electroneurography. In case of illness, the procedure reveals some deviations:

slow passage of the signal along the nerve;
reducing the number of fibers .

These data indicate damage to the nerve endings. The technique does not reveal the inflammatory process itself, but diagnoses its complications - muscle atrophy. A repeated procedure, carried out several weeks after the first, makes it possible to judge the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment regimen.

Treatment

The method of treating pathology depends on its type. The primary type of disease, which arose as a result of hypothermia, is treated according to one scheme, and the secondary type, which developed due to traumatic brain injuries, according to another.

Self-medication is dangerous with complications!

Attention

Despite the fact that our articles are based on trusted sources and have been tested by practicing doctors, the same symptoms can be signs of different diseases, and the disease may not proceed according to the textbook.

Pros of seeing a doctor:

Only a specialist will prescribe suitable medications.

Recovery will be easier and faster.

The doctor will monitor the course of the disease and help avoid complications.

find a doctor

Do not try to treat yourself - consult a specialist.

In general, the fight against the disease includes the use of the following groups of drugs:

Glucocorticosteroids - relieve inflammation in the affected areas.
Anti-inflammatory medications. Discharged only in case of severe pain symptoms.
Diuretics . Prescribed for severe swelling of the face.
B vitamins

In combination with taking medications, physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage are recommended. The patient is offered surgery only if the disease manifests itself in an acute form and is accompanied by intense pain.

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Massage procedures to get rid of neuritis can be performed both at home and in a clinic. Gymnastic exercises are performed daily for at least 30 minutes.

The patient sits in front of a mirror and observes the movements of the inflamed part of the face, holding the healthy one. This is necessary so that most of the load falls on the affected departments.

Physiotherapeutic methods for treating facial neuritis include:

Thermal procedures. They are used only in the initial stages of the problem.
Paraffin applications (on the 5th-6th day of the disease).
Ultrasound using hydrocortisone.

The minimum number of procedures is 8 sessions. After this, the neurologist makes a decision to extend the sessions or terminate them.

Acupuncture is prescribed to quickly restore damaged muscle fibers. If drug therapy, acupuncture and physiotherapeutic procedures do not bring a positive result, then the patient is offered surgery.

Diagnostic measures

What to do if there is a violation of facial asymmetry due to a pinched nerve? Seeing a doctor is usually caused by the appearance of a whistle during a conversation, the inability to blow out a candle or match, the absolute closure of the eye, the inability to move the eyeball, chaotic blinking of both eyes, excessive wrinkling of the forehead. The inability to perform basic elements significantly worsens the quality of life. Another aspect of neuritis is the distortion of facial features, the appearance of a grimace.

Usually, a physical examination of the patient and a study of his clinical history is sufficient to make a final diagnosis, however, for differentiation, some instrumental examinations should be carried out for an extensive perception of the clinical picture:

electromyography;
electroneurography;
reactions to an external stimulus or the study of evoked potentials.

It will be important to take a blood and urine test to clarify the inflammatory process. Additional diagnostics are required to clarify the degree of compression, the depth of nerve damage, features and risks of possible complications. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and computed tomography data are often important to assess the condition of the membranes of the brain.

Consequences

After an illness, nerve conductors take a long time to heal. This fact complicates treatment. Many patients, not seeing noticeable improvements, give up and do not follow the doctor’s instructions.

Failure to comply with therapeutic prescriptions leads to a number of complications:

atrophy of the facial muscles;
tightening of facial muscles;
involuntary twitching of certain parts of the face;
synkinesis;
conjunctivitis.

To prevent these consequences of the disease, it is necessary to perform daily massage and gymnastics on the inflamed side of the face. Conjunctivitis occurs due to the patient's inability to close their eyes. To avoid inflammation of the eye membranes, it is important to use drops.

What are the complications?

If the child is treated correctly, the prognosis will be positive. Sometimes it is difficult to restore the functioning of the facial muscles, and involuntary contraction may occur.

Sometimes vision problems arise because a baby suffering from facial nerve paresis is unable to close his eyes, the mucous membrane dries out and peels off over time. As a result, the child loses his vision.

Forecast

Full recovery after suffering a pathology is possible only if all the specialist’s instructions are followed conscientiously. A favorable prognosis is observed in 60-70% of all cases of pinched facial nerve.

Neuritis, which threatens with adverse consequences, can be suspected by the following symptoms:

rapid development of paralysis ;
dry eyes ;
lack of positive dynamics in disease therapy for 3 weeks.

Pinched facial nerve (or neuritis) is a problem whose causes are still not understood. The pathology is not accompanied by a life-threatening condition, but has many consequences if you do not contact a specialist in a timely manner.

Only early diagnosis of neuritis, its proper treatment and compliance with all doctor’s recommendations will give a chance for a successful outcome of the pathology.

Forecast and preventive measures

It is possible to make a prognosis for pinching of the facial nerve tract based on the severity of the course and localization of the damage, as well as the nature of the pathology (primary, secondary). In 2/3 of patients, complete restoration of the functions of facial muscles is observed without the appearance of consequences. If the pathology does not go away for more than 2-3 months, then the prognosis is less optimistic and contractures may develop.

The best chance of a positive outcome is if the pinching occurs at the exit from the skull. The recurrent form of the pathology also progresses well, but each time its course will get worse. You can avoid new relapses and prevent the development of the disease by following the rules of prevention:

Avoid hypothermia and injury;
Completely treat emerging pathologies;
Strengthen immunity.

Compression of the facial nerve is usually extremely unpleasant and a person is ashamed to even go outside because of the resulting grimace. If the first signs of this pathological process occur, you should immediately go to the hospital to undergo an examination and find out the cause of the disease. Based on this, the doctor will be able to create a course of treatment that will help get rid of the problem.