Your doctor will perform a physical examination to check for signs of hemifacial spasm, for example, lip muscle spasms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses powerful magnets, radio wes, and a computer to capture a detailed image of your head, is then used to determine the most appropriate form of treatment.
Magnetic resonance imaging is used to identify the blood vessel pressing against the nerve and to make sure that the spasms aren’t caused by other conditions with similar symptoms, such as structural abnormalities, tumors, or multiple sclerosis.
How are Lip Muscle Spasms Treated?There are several types of treatment for hemifacial spasms. The treatment that your doctor selects will depend on the cause and severity of your condition. Treatments for hemifacial spasm include:
Botox (botulinum toxin) injections. Botox injection is the most commonly used and the most effective treatment of hemifacial spasm. To relieve the spasms, your doctor will inject Botox into the affected muscles to paralyze them. This treatment will need to be repeated every few months.
Microvascular decompression surgery. If your disorder is more severe, your doctor may recommend microvascular decompression surgery. In this surgery, your surgeon opens the hard layer covering your brain to locate the blood vessel that is pressing on your facial nerve. Your surgeon then places a small sponge between the nerve and blood vessel to reduce the pressure on the nerve. This surgery is effective in reducing spasms, but it has several possible side effects and so it is only done if botox injections aren’t effective enough in reducing the symptoms.
Medications. In some cases, medications, such as anticonvulsant drugs (e.g., carbamazepine and clonazepam), can reduce lip muscle spasms.
What Else May Cause Lip Muscle Spasms?Several other conditions can cause facial twitching similar to hemifacial spasms. If your doctor determines that your facial twitching isn’t caused by the pressure of a blood vessel or tumor on your facial nerve, you should consider these other possible causes of facial twitching. The following conditions can cause twitching in your eyes, lips, or cheeks:
Caffeine intoxication, which happens when a healthy adult consumes over 400 milligrams a day.Medications that list “fasciculation”, which means involuntary muscle contractions, as a side effect.Stress and fatigue.Bell’s palsy — an instance of facial muscle weakness or paralysis.Parkinson’s disease.Hormonal imbalance.Multiple sclerosis.