Hemifacial spasm is a condition in which there is involuntary twitching or contraction of the muscles on one side of the face, typically around the eye or mouth. This can cause a variety of facial movements, including eye blinking, facial grimacing, and jaw clenching. The spasms can be intermittent or continuous and can range from mild to severe.

Hemifacial spasm is typically caused by compression or irritation of the facial nerve, which controls the muscles of the face. This can be due to a variety of factors, including a blood vessel pressing on the nerve, a tumor, or a structural abnormality of the nerve itself.

Treatment for hemifacial spasms depends on the severity and underlying cause of the condition. Mild cases may not require treatment, but if the spasms are severe or interfere with normal activities, medical treatment may be necessary. Treatment options include medications to relax the facial muscles, botulinum toxin injections to block nerve impulses to the affected muscles or surgery to decompress or remove the source of the nerve compression.

If you are experiencing facial twitching or spasms, it is important to see a healthcare provider for evaluation and diagnosis. While hemifacial spasm is a treatable condition, other more serious conditions, such as a stroke or nerve damage, can cause similar symptoms, so it is important to have a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying 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.

Hemifacial spasm may sometimes be triggered by:

• Moving the muscles in the face
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Fatigue

Treatment for hemifacial spasm may include:

• Botulinum injections. Your doctor may inject botulinum toxin (Botox) into the affected muscles, which temporarily paralyzes those muscles. This treatment is very effective in relieving symptoms in most people. You'll need additional treatments every few months.
• Other medications. Medications, including anticonvulsant drugs, can relieve hemifacial spasm in some people.
• Surgery. There are several types of surgery that can help relieve hemifacial spasm. Decompression surgery involves making an opening in your skull and opening the covering of your brain (dura) to expose the facial nerve as it leaves the brainstem.
• Your surgeon locates the blood vessel pressing on or irritating the facial nerve and puts a spongelike material between the nerve and blood vessel, removing the pressure on the nerve. This surgery often can relieve hemifacial spasm.
• Other procedures include destroying parts of the facial nerve via surgery and radiofrequency thermocoagulation, which uses heat and radio waves.