Be careful, draft!
Most often, inflammation, or neuritis, of the facial nerve occurs during hypothermia. It is especially dangerous to be in a draft. As a result of local tissue hypothermia, spasm of blood vessels occurs, which, in turn, can lead to malnutrition and, as a consequence, inflammation of the facial nerve.
However, there may be other causes of neuritis, for example, complications after dental treatment, consequences of diseases caused by the herpes virus, inflammatory diseases of the ENT organs, brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries, atherosclerosis, hypertension, neuroses, stress, multiple sclerosis.
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Peroneal nerve neuritis
The peroneal nerve is responsible for extension of the foot. When it becomes inflamed, it becomes difficult to unclench the toes, the foot hangs down and turns inward. The gait changes - the person cannot immediately step on the heel. When walking, he strongly bends his leg at the knee and throws his foot forward, and when lowering it, he rests first on his toes, then on the outer side of the foot, and only then on his heel. This gait is called a “cock walk.”
Sensation in the lower leg and foot is impaired and numbness is felt. Over time, the disease can lead to muscle atrophy and shrinkage of the leg.
The causes of the disease are multiple microtraumas or physical overstrain of the leg in the lower leg area, infections, endocrine disorders, intoxication, and hypothermia. Possible vascular causes - impaired blood supply and nerve nutrition against the background of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities.
Another common cause is diseases of the spine, such as osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region, protrusion, disc herniation. The peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve, the inflammation of which often begins in the lumbosacral spine.
To treat this disease, the Tibet clinic uses complex therapy, which includes acupuncture, acupressure, moxotherapy, therapeutic massage of the foot and lower leg and other procedures for individual indications.
If the cause is lumbosacral osteochondrosis or its complications, comprehensive treatment of this spinal disease is carried out. This therapy shows high efficiency and gives positive results in more than 90% of cases:
- eliminating the cause of peroneal nerve neuritis,
- improvement of gait,
- restoration of sensitivity, elimination of numbness and other symptoms,
- normalization of blood circulation in the foot,
- prevention of muscle atrophy and other complications.
Such a pain!
As a rule, the first symptom of inflammation of the facial nerve is acute pain in the area behind the ear, which radiates to the back of the head or eye.
A little later, facial expressions on the side of the affected nerve are disrupted - the eye is wide open, there is no ability to close the eyelids tightly, the number of blinks of the affected eye decreases, the corner of the mouth noticeably droops, and a smoothness of the nasolabial fold and folds in the forehead appears. Often these symptoms are accompanied by dry mouth and difficulty pronouncing consonants. This is caused by a disruption of nerve conduction in the cheek muscle and salivary gland area. Your sense of taste may also change and your sensitivity to loud noises may increase.
However, that's not all. A rather unpleasant companion to neuritis can be excessive lacrimation or, conversely, dry eye as a result of damage to the branch of the facial nerve responsible for the innervation of the lacrimal gland.
Elecampane root
Very often in folk medicine, crushed elecampane root is used to treat the facial nerve. Take it in the amount of one teaspoon and pour a glass of boiling water. The tincture is aged for 10 hours. The medication is taken orally along the line of glasses. The patient must take from 1 to 4 doses of medication per day.
To treat inflammation of the facial nerve, it is necessary to collect the rhizome of the tall plant. This herb is crushed and infused with 40 percent alcohol. The ratio of high alcohol and alcohol should be 1:10. The tincture is aged for a week. The medication is taken in the morning and evening - 30-40 drops. You need to take the drug with plenty of water.
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If you do not have the time or opportunity to collect herbs to prepare medicine, then you can use ordinary potatoes for treatment. Juice is squeezed out of it and a quarter glass is drunk daily.
All folk remedies are effective in treating inflammation of the facial nerve. But before using them, it would be best to consult a doctor. He will be able to most accurately diagnose and prescribe treatment to eliminate the cause, which does not exclude the use of folk remedies.
Making a diagnosis
Sometimes patients confuse inflammation of the facial nerve with toothache or migraine. However, there is a simple test. If it is not possible to wrinkle your forehead, frown your eyebrows, wrinkle your nose, alternately puff out your cheeks and fully close your eyes, then there is nothing to guess about. This is neuritis of the facial nerve.
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Of course, without being a specialist, it is difficult to distinguish inflammation of the facial nerve from trigeminal neuralgia or the consequences of a stroke. However, you are not faced with the task of accurately diagnosing yourself. There are relevant specialists and research for this. The most important thing if you suspect inflammation of the facial nerve is not to delay going to the doctor. It is necessary to contact a neurologist or a dental neurologist, or, as a last resort, any specialist in the field of dentistry. For a high-quality diagnosis, it is advisable to undergo an MRI or CT scan of the brain to rule out inflammatory and other pathological processes in the brain.
Other important studies include electromyography and electroneurography. These methods will determine the presence of damage along the entire length of the facial nerve. During these examinations, the doctor attaches electrodes to the skin, which irritate the nerve with light shocks of electricity. Special sensors record nerve impulses and transmit them to a computer, with which the doctor interprets the study.
Treatment methods
How to treat a cold facial nerve? Therapy involves an integrated approach to resolving the issue. It consists in eliminating the cause of the disease and relieving the pain syndrome. Drug treatment involves the use of the following groups of drugs:
- antiphlogistic – relieve tissue swelling and inflammation;
- diuretic – remove excess moisture from the body;
- vasodilators - restore normal blood supply to affected tissues;
- metabolic – prevent regression of muscle tissue;
- antispasmodic - eliminate pain.
If a person has a cold in the facial nerve, what should he do? First you need to undergo an examination by a specialist. Differentiated diagnostics involves the use of computer and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as serological examination methods that help establish the etiology of infectious diseases.
Treatment can be carried out using pharmacotherapy. However, this method will be effective in the treatment of mild neuritis. To eliminate inflammatory processes and tissue swelling, drugs such as:
- "Drotaverine" is an antispasmodic drug that helps relax smooth muscles. The active components of the drug dilate blood vessels, which leads to intensive oxygen supply to the affected tissues;
- "Eufillin" is an anesthetic that contains theophylline. Promotes expansion of coronary vessels and removal of excess fluid from tissues;
- "Galantamine" is an anticholinesterase drug that is used for disorders of the facial muscles caused by neuropathy. Increases muscle tone and sensitivity of nerve endings;
- Prednisolone is a synthetic hormone that replenishes the deficiency of hydrocortisone in the body. Has a pronounced anti-inflammatory and anti-exudative effect;
- "Piroxicam" is a medicine that has antiphlogistic and analgesic effects. Eliminates inflammation and pain during the development of neuritis.
No complications
We often hear that nerves do not recover, so when faced with neuritis, many patients believe that their disease cannot be treated. Fortunately, this is not true. The functionality of the nerve after neuritis is restored, but this happens quite slowly. The recovery period can take about a year - and during this time it is important to strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations and not neglect the prescribed treatment. Otherwise, complications may occur.
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The most common of these is contraction of the facial muscles, which can distort the face. Muscle atrophy on the side of inflammation may also occur. In this case, the muscles weaken and seem to sag, causing facial paralysis. In addition, the result of untreated neuritis can be twitching of the facial muscles, excessive lacrimation, inability to close the eye, prolonged conjunctivitis or keratitis (inflammation of the cornea of the eye).
To avoid complications, it is necessary to undergo medication and physical therapy. Depending on the causes of inflammation and symptoms, the complex of medications will include anti-inflammatory drugs, antiviral, neurotropic and anticholinesterase agents, B vitamins, diuretics and antispasmodics.
After 7–10 days from the onset of inflammation, physiotherapy is prescribed, which is also selected individually. Phototherapy and laser therapy, electrophoresis, ultraphonophoresis, pulse and decimeter therapy, paraffin and ozokerite applications are successfully used.
An average course of physiotherapy consists of 20 procedures. Sometimes several courses are needed.
Often, for neuritis of the facial nerve, massage is prescribed, but such treatment can be started no earlier than 7 days after the onset of inflammation. It is advisable to massage not only the affected part of the face, but also the neck-collar area. Usually 10–20 massage sessions are needed.
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If conservative treatment fails within 8–10 months, surgery may be necessary. At the same time, it is impossible to delay surgical intervention - the operation is effective only in the first year of treatment, since later irreversible changes in the muscle tissue on the side of the affected nerve may occur.
What to do if the facial nerve is cold?
To prevent a cold nerve from leading to paralysis, you must immediately go to the doctor with your problem. In this situation, in addition to drug therapy, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy, and so on are also prescribed. Therapeutic exercises are performed for the muscles of the uninjured side. Relaxation and tension of facial muscles should be measured. Mimic exercises imitate crying, laughter, joy, sadness, and so on. Training articulatory sounds is of great importance.
What to do if the facial nerve is cold? You need to massage the collar area and the healthy side of the face. Vibration, stroking, light kneading and rubbing are usually used.
For chronic neuropathies of the facial nerve, physical therapy is recommended. Infrared heat is applied to the affected area, the procedure lasts 15 minutes and is repeated 4 times a day for 10 days. Ultra-high-frequency exposure, low-frequency magnetic therapy, pulsed magnetic field, rotating magnetic field, traveling magnetic field, acupuncture and acupuncture are also used.
All manipulations have contraindications and limitations, so only a doctor can prescribe them after a thorough examination.
A cold nerve can be cured using traditional medicine. This will require a complex tincture. You will need tinctures of calendula, motherwort, hawthorn and peony evasive. All tinctures need to be mixed in one glass and pour half a bottle of Corvalol into it. Then dissolve three horns of honey in a water bath and pour into a “cocktail”. Take a teaspoon before bedtime. Treat for three months, then take a two-month break and repeat the course again.
Rose tea helps well with this ailment. In a regular teapot you need to brew dark red rose petals and drink them several times a day. If a person is prone to neurasthenia, this tea will also suit him.
Goat's milk will help, which should be heated, add honey and mummy crumbs to it. This drink should be consumed before bed, rubbing fir oil into the numb part of the face.
How to speed up recovery
In order for the restoration of damaged nerves to occur faster, it is advisable to supplement the treatment prescribed by the doctor with gymnastics. It allows you to use the areas of the face affected by the affected nerve. The set of exercises consists of puffing out the cheeks, moving the tongue to the sides, frowning the eyebrows and forehead, circular movements of the eyes, pulling in and out the lips, cheeks and many other movements.
At home, you can warm up by applying a thick fabric bag to the sore spot on the face, into which salt or sand heated in the microwave is poured. The duration of warming up should be no more than 30 minutes, the procedure is carried out before bedtime for a month. However, such procedures, like physical therapy, can be started no earlier than a week after the onset of inflammation.
It is advisable for patients with neuritis to avoid hypothermia and exposure to drafts, to protect themselves from viral diseases and stress, and also to ensure that their diet contains enough protein foods, vegetables and fruits.
Causes of the disease
If a person has a cold on the facial nerve, then he will definitely be interested in the cause of such a pathology. There are many factors that lead to the occurrence of the disease. It is imperative to understand them in order to roughly understand in what situations you may encounter the disease.
Main reasons:
Infections. Children especially often suffer from them, because their bodies are most susceptible to various diseases. It is because of infections that an inflammatory process can develop in the body.
- Neoplasms. Tumors in the area of the nerve can cause it to become inflamed.
- Various diseases , for example, diabetes. They lead to a person experiencing neuralgia.
- Various viruses that directly affect the central nervous system and neurons.
- Injuries. Even minor bruises can provoke pathological changes in nerve fibers. The more severe the injury, the higher the likelihood that it will lead to complications.
- Hypothermia. This is a fairly common reason why the facial nerve can become cold. That is why it is important not to stay in a draft for a long time, because pathology can arise in a matter of minutes.
As you can understand, there are many provoking factors that lead to the development of the disease. It is for this reason that it is important to know exactly how the disease manifests itself in order to take action in time.
