Guest guest Posted October 24, 2002 Report Share Posted October 24, 2002 Beth: I'm not sure of the reason you think that your husband had a stroke. Last time I took Fred to the Neurologist, I asked him about Fred and his face. Because the right side of it the mouth would pull up and the eye would pull down , looking like he had a stroke. The dr said it wasn't a stroke , but a Hemifacial spasm and was common with MSA. So when I got home I looked it up. They have a web page that has a picture of it. It looks just like what Freds face does. I just wonder if this is what your husband has , that caused you to think it was a stroke. Doctor told me , it's nothing to worry about. It does come and go. Someday's it's there and other days his face if fine. They do have a picture of what it looks like, but now we can't have attachment , I left it out and put in just the part about what it is. Takecare Vera HEMIFACIAL SPASM Hemifacial spasm is a condition similar to trigeminal neuralgia and is due to an abnormal discharge of another nerve called the " facial nerve " . In trigeminal neuralgia the abnormal discharge is in a pain-bearing trigeminal nerve In hemifacial spasm the abnormal discharge is in the facial nerve which supplies the muscles of the face and thus causes twitching or spasms of the muscles of the face and not pain. No drug has proven effective in preventing or stopping hemifacial spasm. Muscle relaxants and the drugs used for trigeminal neuralgia commonly are given to patients with hemifacial spasm, however they rarely help. In the past, attempts were made to cut or crush the branches of the facial nerve. However, these destructive procedures were associated with facial paralysis and when the paralysis recovered the spasms returned. One form of creating damage to the facial nerve now in current use involves injecting a bacterial toxin into the nerve. This results in relief of the spasms by causing weakness of some muscles of the face. It often is necessary to repeat the injections after two to six months. The most effective treatment of hemifacial spasm is a vascular decompression procedure of the facial nerve. The procedure is similar to the vascular decompression procedure described in the section on the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, however this procedure is directed to the facial nerve approximately one-half inch away from the trigeminal nerve. The site of the skin incision and skull opening are nearly the same for trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm, however in hemifacial spasm the facial nerve is exposed. The risks of this operation are the same as those described in the section on vascular decompression operations for trigeminal neuralgia. The operation relieves the spasm permanently in the great majority of patients, however, as with trigeminal neuralgia, the problem may persist or recur in a few patients in spite of this form of treatment. The vascular decompression operation is the most effective permanent treatment for hemifacial spasm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2002 Report Share Posted October 24, 2002 Beth: I'm not sure of the reason you think that your husband had a stroke. Last time I took Fred to the Neurologist, I asked him about Fred and his face. Because the right side of it the mouth would pull up and the eye would pull down , looking like he had a stroke. The dr said it wasn't a stroke , but a Hemifacial spasm and was common with MSA. So when I got home I looked it up. They have a web page that has a picture of it. It looks just like what Freds face does. I just wonder if this is what your husband has , that caused you to think it was a stroke. Doctor told me , it's nothing to worry about. It does come and go. Someday's it's there and other days his face if fine. They do have a picture of what it looks like, but now we can't have attachment , I left it out and put in just the part about what it is. Takecare Vera HEMIFACIAL SPASM Hemifacial spasm is a condition similar to trigeminal neuralgia and is due to an abnormal discharge of another nerve called the " facial nerve " . In trigeminal neuralgia the abnormal discharge is in a pain-bearing trigeminal nerve In hemifacial spasm the abnormal discharge is in the facial nerve which supplies the muscles of the face and thus causes twitching or spasms of the muscles of the face and not pain. No drug has proven effective in preventing or stopping hemifacial spasm. Muscle relaxants and the drugs used for trigeminal neuralgia commonly are given to patients with hemifacial spasm, however they rarely help. In the past, attempts were made to cut or crush the branches of the facial nerve. However, these destructive procedures were associated with facial paralysis and when the paralysis recovered the spasms returned. One form of creating damage to the facial nerve now in current use involves injecting a bacterial toxin into the nerve. This results in relief of the spasms by causing weakness of some muscles of the face. It often is necessary to repeat the injections after two to six months. The most effective treatment of hemifacial spasm is a vascular decompression procedure of the facial nerve. The procedure is similar to the vascular decompression procedure described in the section on the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, however this procedure is directed to the facial nerve approximately one-half inch away from the trigeminal nerve. The site of the skin incision and skull opening are nearly the same for trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm, however in hemifacial spasm the facial nerve is exposed. The risks of this operation are the same as those described in the section on vascular decompression operations for trigeminal neuralgia. The operation relieves the spasm permanently in the great majority of patients, however, as with trigeminal neuralgia, the problem may persist or recur in a few patients in spite of this form of treatment. The vascular decompression operation is the most effective permanent treatment for hemifacial spasm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2002 Report Share Posted October 24, 2002 Vera, Rob has a very mild case of this, although I never knew what it was called. Sometimes I look at him and his face is " crooked " -- looks like a mild stroke, but there is no evidence of that other than his expression. Thanks for letting me know what to call it! Carol & Rob Lexington, MA Re: OH! Beth > Beth: > I'm not sure of the reason you think that your husband had a stroke. Last > time I took Fred to the Neurologist, I asked him about Fred and his face. > Because the right side of it the mouth would pull up and the eye would pull > down , looking like he had a stroke. The dr said it wasn't a stroke , but a > Hemifacial spasm and was common with MSA. So when I got home I looked it up. > They have a web page that has a picture of it. It looks just like what Freds > face does. I just wonder if this is what your husband has , that caused you > to think it was a stroke. Doctor told me , it's nothing to worry about. > It does come and go. Someday's it's there and other days his face if fine. > They do have a picture of what it looks like, but now we can't have > attachment , I left it out and put in just the part about what it is. > > Takecare Vera > > HEMIFACIAL SPASM > > Hemifacial spasm is a condition similar to trigeminal neuralgia and is due to > an abnormal discharge of another nerve called the " facial nerve " . In > trigeminal neuralgia the abnormal discharge is in a pain-bearing trigeminal > nerve > > In hemifacial spasm the abnormal discharge is in the facial nerve which > supplies the muscles of the face and thus causes twitching or spasms of the > muscles of the face and not pain. > > No drug has proven effective in preventing or stopping hemifacial spasm. > Muscle relaxants and the drugs used for trigeminal neuralgia commonly are > given to patients with hemifacial spasm, however they rarely help. In the > past, attempts were made to cut or crush the branches of the facial nerve. > However, these destructive procedures were associated with facial paralysis > and when the paralysis recovered the spasms returned. > > One form of creating damage to the facial nerve now in current use involves > injecting a bacterial toxin into the nerve. This results in relief of the > spasms by causing weakness of some muscles of the face. It often is necessary > to repeat the injections after two to six months. > > The most effective treatment of hemifacial spasm is a vascular decompression > procedure of the facial nerve. The procedure is similar to the vascular > decompression procedure described in the section on the treatment of > trigeminal neuralgia, however this procedure is directed to the facial nerve > approximately one-half inch away from the trigeminal nerve. The site of the > skin incision and skull opening are nearly the same for trigeminal neuralgia > and hemifacial spasm, however in hemifacial spasm the facial nerve is > exposed. > > The risks of this operation are the same as those described in the section on > vascular decompression operations for trigeminal neuralgia. The operation > relieves the spasm permanently in the great majority of patients, however, as > with trigeminal neuralgia, the problem may persist or recur in a few patients > in spite of this form of treatment. The vascular decompression operation is > the most effective permanent treatment for hemifacial spasm. > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2002 Report Share Posted October 24, 2002 Vera, Rob has a very mild case of this, although I never knew what it was called. Sometimes I look at him and his face is " crooked " -- looks like a mild stroke, but there is no evidence of that other than his expression. Thanks for letting me know what to call it! Carol & Rob Lexington, MA Re: OH! Beth > Beth: > I'm not sure of the reason you think that your husband had a stroke. Last > time I took Fred to the Neurologist, I asked him about Fred and his face. > Because the right side of it the mouth would pull up and the eye would pull > down , looking like he had a stroke. The dr said it wasn't a stroke , but a > Hemifacial spasm and was common with MSA. So when I got home I looked it up. > They have a web page that has a picture of it. It looks just like what Freds > face does. I just wonder if this is what your husband has , that caused you > to think it was a stroke. Doctor told me , it's nothing to worry about. > It does come and go. Someday's it's there and other days his face if fine. > They do have a picture of what it looks like, but now we can't have > attachment , I left it out and put in just the part about what it is. > > Takecare Vera > > HEMIFACIAL SPASM > > Hemifacial spasm is a condition similar to trigeminal neuralgia and is due to > an abnormal discharge of another nerve called the " facial nerve " . In > trigeminal neuralgia the abnormal discharge is in a pain-bearing trigeminal > nerve > > In hemifacial spasm the abnormal discharge is in the facial nerve which > supplies the muscles of the face and thus causes twitching or spasms of the > muscles of the face and not pain. > > No drug has proven effective in preventing or stopping hemifacial spasm. > Muscle relaxants and the drugs used for trigeminal neuralgia commonly are > given to patients with hemifacial spasm, however they rarely help. In the > past, attempts were made to cut or crush the branches of the facial nerve. > However, these destructive procedures were associated with facial paralysis > and when the paralysis recovered the spasms returned. > > One form of creating damage to the facial nerve now in current use involves > injecting a bacterial toxin into the nerve. This results in relief of the > spasms by causing weakness of some muscles of the face. It often is necessary > to repeat the injections after two to six months. > > The most effective treatment of hemifacial spasm is a vascular decompression > procedure of the facial nerve. The procedure is similar to the vascular > decompression procedure described in the section on the treatment of > trigeminal neuralgia, however this procedure is directed to the facial nerve > approximately one-half inch away from the trigeminal nerve. The site of the > skin incision and skull opening are nearly the same for trigeminal neuralgia > and hemifacial spasm, however in hemifacial spasm the facial nerve is > exposed. > > The risks of this operation are the same as those described in the section on > vascular decompression operations for trigeminal neuralgia. The operation > relieves the spasm permanently in the great majority of patients, however, as > with trigeminal neuralgia, the problem may persist or recur in a few patients > in spite of this form of treatment. The vascular decompression operation is > the most effective permanent treatment for hemifacial spasm. > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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