Hemifacial spasm

Hemifacial spasm (facial hemispasm, Brissot's disease) is a symptom complex of unilateral hyperactive dysfunction of the facial nerve, developing as a result of compression of the root of the facial nerve in the area where it exits the brainstem.

Symptoms:

It is characterized by the appearance of moderate and intermittent painless spasms in the orbicularis oculi muscle, gradually progressing in frequency and strength and spreading down the face, involving all the facial muscles. The duration of the attack can reach several hours. Muscle contractions are either tonic muscle spasms or clonic seizures (tic hyperkinesis). As the disease progresses, a tonic half-mask appears on half of the face: the eye slit is narrower, the mouth and nose are pulled back, the subcutaneous muscle of the neck - platysma - is tense. Sometimes the attack is interrupted by pressing on the superciliary arch or another part of the face.

Distinguishes between typical hemifacial spasm (begins in the orbicularis oculi muscle and then involves all the underlying facial muscles of half of the face) and atypical (begins with the cheek muscles and gradually involves all the overlying facial muscles). Hemispasm does not extend beyond the zone innervated by the VII cranial nerve and may be combined with trigeminal neuralgia. With hemispasm, unilateral dysfunction of the auditory nerve (VIII cranial nerve) is possible.