Hemifacial spasms happen when the muscles on only one side of your face twitch without warning. These types of spasms are caused by damage or irritation to the facial nerve, which is also known as the seventh cranial nerve. Facial spasms occur when the muscles contract involuntarily because of this nerve irritation. Hemifacial spasms are also known as tic convulsif.
Hemifacial spasm is a nervous system disorder in which the muscles on one side of your face twitch involuntarily. Hemifacial spasm is most often caused by a blood vessel touching a facial nerve, but it may be caused by a facial nerve injury or a tumor, or it may not have a cause. Hemifacial spasm is most often caused by a blood vessel touching a facial nerve. It can also be caused by a facial nerve injury or a tumor. Sometimes there's no identifiable cause.
The facial nerve cranial nerve VII or 7th nerve is responsible for controlling movement of the face. Hemifacial spasm is a syndrome of recurring facial muscle twitches and spasms that can occur when the facial nerve is irritated or compressed by a blood vessel that courses along the brainstem. Compression of the facial nerve most often occurs directly at the level of the brainstem where it emerges into the fluid space.
A job interview or first date is a really inconvenient time for your left eyelid to flutter without your permission. Yet there it goes. Fatigue, sleep deprivation, stress, eye strain, too much coffee or alcohol and also certain stimulants like those in some decongestants can all contribute to eyelid twitches and other facial twitches, too. Your best bet at resolving a facial twitch is a good dose of … patience.