Facial neurosis: symptoms, causes, treatment. Let's understand the muscle neurosis: intercostal, facial nerve and cervical Facial neurosis - treatment methods

Facial neurosis is an infrequent disease, but when you see such a person on the street, you will never confuse what disease he suffers from. It is noteworthy that, despite the impressive external picture of the disease, it is no more dangerous than the lower back blown in a draft. However, the mechanism of occurrence of this disease is about the same.

Neurosis of the facial nerve causes a lot of trouble to a person

Facial nerve neurosis is a pathology in which one vertical half of the face becomes immobilized, as if under the influence of strong analgesic injections.

This effect occurs due to the immobilization of facial muscles. At the same time, on the diseased half of the face, the tissues go down a little, which is noticeable in the corner of the lips.

The culprit of this disease is inflammation of the facial nerve. It can occur for a number of reasons, but the most common of them is hypothermia. Being a few minutes in a draft can lead to such unpleasant consequences, so it is extremely important to strengthen the immune system and beware of sources of cold air.

Thus, the mechanism of the disease proceeds as follows:

nerve inflammation;
immobilization of half of the facial muscles of the face;
facial asymmetry.

With neurosis of the facial nerve, facial asymmetry occurs

Symptoms

After a person has been exposed to drafts or cold air, for a couple of days he may experience pain in the neck, back of the head and the area under the earlobe. Muscle innervation occurs a couple of days after exposure to a provoking factor.

At first, a person simply feels numbness in the tissues of the face, which gradually flows into the inability to reproduce normal facial movements: a smile, a grin, folding lips into a tube.
On the diseased side of the face, the so-called "hare's eye" or lagophthalmos develops, when, when trying to close the eye, a person cannot completely lower the eyelids and close them tightly, while the iris with the pupil goes up, and in the gap between the ciliary edges part of the white of the eye is visible. Because of this phenomenon, dry eye syndrome develops, and the body solves it in its own way: during a meal, a person begins increased lacrimation, popularly called “crocodile tears”.
Further, the person begins to lose the sensation to the perception of the taste of food with one side of the tongue. But since it is quite difficult to reflect on the sensitivity of the halves of the tongue, the person simply feels that the food has lost its taste.
In the process of developing the clinical picture, hyperacusis (hyperacusia) appears - a rare phenomenon in which sounds perceived by human hearing are perceived as very subtle and unpleasant. With really loud and ringing sounds, for example, when playing music, a person may experience pain in the ears.

Thus, the picture of the disease looks quite impressive, but, nevertheless, the effectiveness of its treatment reaches 99%.

Facial numbness occurs gradually

Diagnostics

The symptoms of neurosis of the facial nerve are so bright and obvious that the doctor has no reason to prescribe additional laboratory or functional studies to the patient in order to make a diagnosis.

But the question is relevant, what caused the facial nerve to become inflamed, is this inflammation part of some dangerous, unlike facial neuritis, disease? In order to clarify this circumstance, the patient is sent for examination to the MRI room - magnetic resonance therapy.

The goal of diagnosis is to rule out other brain pathologies, such as tumors or inflammation. In addition, the examination makes it possible to determine the localization of the inflamed nerve and the degree of its damage.

The second part of the diagnostic process is the task of determining whether the primary neurosis of the face takes place in this case, or the pathology has developed against the background of another disease, and is part of its symptomatic picture or a complication.

MRI helps to find out if it is really a neurosis

Neurosis of the facial nerve can accompany diseases such as:

shingles (in this case, neuritis will coexist with rashes on the tongue and in the area of the auricles);
mumps (neuritis can develop on both sides against the background of general intoxication);
otitis (infection from the ear canal passed to the facial nerve);
trauma, especially with cerebrovascular accident;
hypertensive crisis;
rare hereditary pathology Melkerson-Rosenthal syndrome.

Treatment

If secondary neuritis was detected during the diagnosis, then the plan for its therapy will be based on the treatment of the underlying disease.

Treatment of neurosis of the facial nerve includes several tasks:

removal of inflammation;
removal of edema;
improvement of blood circulation;
anesthesia when indicated.

Therefore, patients are prescribed a course of anti-inflammatory hormonal agents - glucocorticosteroids, a course of diuretics to relieve edema ("Furasemide", "Glycerol"), and vasodilators (nicotinic acid). The therapy is supplemented with B vitamins, indicated for any diseases of the nervous system, and analgesics.

Furosemide helps relieve facial puffiness

It is very important that during the treatment the muscles remain at rest, do not try to “develop” them with the help of active grimaces, this will only increase inflammation and pain.

Other treatments

Against the background of drug therapy, it is very useful to use other methods of treatment that speed up the process of recovery and recovery.

But they can be performed only after consulting a doctor and his permission to conduct techniques.

Physiotherapy UHF– impact on the site of inflammation with an ultra-high frequency field can be applied from the first day of treatment by a non-contact method. After five procedures, you can switch to the contact method, applying heat to the body in the form of paraffin applications. If the nerves of the face recover too slowly, you can use the drug "Nerobol" during physiotherapy in the form of an application for ultrasound or phonophoresis. Under the influence of devices, the components of the drug will penetrate directly into the site of inflammation and eliminate it.
Acupuncture- an unscientific method, which, nevertheless, enjoys tremendous popularity.
Self massage- this method is very useful for neuritis of the facial nerve. However, it is important to learn how to perform it correctly by taking a printout from a doctor with a detailed description of the execution technique, or asking for the help of an exercise therapy or massage specialist. Self-massage of the face should be performed at least three times a day in front of a mirror.
Therapeutic gymnastics for the face is possible only after the permission of the doctor, when the inflammation of the nerve is removed and the main task of therapy is the development of facial muscles. Like self-massage, therapeutic exercises also need to be performed according to a special scheme that a specialist in physiotherapy exercises can show.

Surgical intervention

In the vast majority of cases, neuritis resolves on its own within 2 to 3 weeks. But in the absence of the effect of treatment after 9 months of continuous therapy, as in the case of congenital pathologies, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.

After the doctor has taken the treatment to act on the neuritis surgically, you should not hesitate with the operation: after a year, the muscles can atrophy so much that they can no longer fully recover.

In some cases, only surgery can help.

The technique of the operation is as follows: the affected nerve is replaced by a healthy nerve, which is taken from the patient's leg. The nerves from the healthy half of the face are "connected" to the transplanted nerve. After that, the symmetry of movements and naturalness of the face is restored.

Diseases

Some disorders in the work of the central nervous system appear almost instantly, develop rapidly. Bell's palsy is one such disease. So experts call the facial nerve. It causes paralysis on one side of the face. If timely treatment is not provided, then the pathology can persist throughout life. However, with timely access to a doctor, it is possible to achieve a positive effect in 97% of cases.

Symptoms

Signs of discomfort depend on which nerve is affected. Pathology can develop at the level of the nucleus or in the brain stem. Symptoms of various disorders include:

weakness of the facial muscles;
strabismus;
hearing impairment;
excessive or insufficient salivation;
taste bud disorder.

Doctors also pay attention to the presence or absence of Hunt's syndrome with facial nerve neurosis. This condition is different in that a whole cluster of nerve cells suffers. As a result, a person not only develops paresis of the facial muscles, but also begins hearing problems. He may feel severe discomfort, extending to the back of the head or temporal region. Sometimes people have poor coordination. Due to dizziness, they can even fall, involuntarily injure themselves.

Since the facial nerve passes through the internal auditory canals, its disturbance in its work often causes the usual. With pain in the ears, hearing loss, the otolaryngologist may not immediately recognize nerve damage. Therefore, it is important to contact a narrow specialist. He will also check if there are other causes for the pathology. For example, the following:

hypothermia;
atherosclerosis;
tumor;
unsuccessful dental treatment;
facial trauma.

Also, frequent stress is a danger. They negatively affect the work of organs and systems of the whole body. Due to strong experiences, such a pathology can develop in a person in just a matter of seconds. It leads to:

the face becomes asymmetrical;
the corners of the mouth are lowered;
the nasolabial fold is smoothed out;
a person cannot close his eyelids;
too many tears flow from the eyes or, on the contrary, dryness is observed.

The clinical picture is usually quite bright. However, doctors still prescribe additional examinations. To exclude or confirm brain disorders, patients are advised to do a CT scan or MRI. To understand exactly where the violation is localized, an electroneurography or electromyography is done. Based on the results of such examinations, it becomes clear where the paralysis occurred, how it can be eliminated.

With the first signs of pathology, you need to contact narrow specialists. It is most effective to make an appointment immediately with such doctors as:

They will be able to quickly figure out what was the root cause of the paralysis. However, in order to make a diagnosis, they need to ask the patient a series of questions. Usually they sound like this:

When did you start having problems with the mobility of certain parts of your face?
How often do you experience stress?
Are there among your close relatives those who have been diagnosed with any form of neurosis?
Have you had facial injuries recently?
Have you been in very cold rooms or in strong winds lately?
Have you visited the dentist recently?
Have you noticed hearing loss?

Depending on the answers, the doctor will select the optimal course of treatment. Patients with neuroses of the facial nerve, as a rule, are prescribed drugs to relieve paralysis. Corticosteroids are recommended, which are enough to take 1-2 weeks. It also helps to massage the face, as well as the back of the head and the collar zone. Sometimes patients are prescribed sedatives. They improve sleep, remove anxiety and irritability. If the pathology is caused by purulent processes in the ears or nasopharynx, then the source of infection should be eliminated. Usually the healing process takes no more than 20-30 days. However, the final condition improves only after a year.

What is neuritis?

The ending “-it” indicates the inflammatory nature of the disease, that is, neuritis is inflammation of the nerve. Some people call this disease "facial neurosis", which is incorrect, since the ending "-oz" indicates a non-inflammatory nature of the disease with quantitative or qualitative changes in the affected organ. In this case, we are talking about inflammation, so the correct name is neuritis.

With neuritis, the branches of the facial nerve are affected, as a result of which the muscles responsible for facial expressions are immobilized: paralysis or paresis of these muscles occurs. The facial nerve is located on the surface of the face and passes through the ear and temple. In total, a person has 12 cranial nerves, but it is the facial nerve that is susceptible to inflammation, due to its location.

Despite the frequently encountered phrase "facial neurosis", there is no such name in the classification of diseases. And this means that inflammation of the facial nerve has nothing to do with neuroses, and is not connected with the mental sphere.

The mechanism of development of neuritis of the facial nerve.

These factors lead to spasm (narrowing) of the arteries. In this case, the blood stagnates in the capillaries, and they expand. The liquid component of the blood penetrates the wall of the capillaries and accumulates in the intercellular spaces. There is swelling of the tissue, as a result of which the veins and lymphatic vessels are compressed - the outflow of lymph is disturbed.

This leads to a violation of the blood circulation of the nerve and its nutrition. Nerve cells are very sensitive to lack of oxygen. The nerve trunk swells, hemorrhages appear in it. This leads to the fact that nerve impulses are poorly transmitted from the brain to the muscles. The command that the brain gives does not pass through the fibers, the muscles do not hear it and are inactive. All signs of the disease are associated with this.

Causes

Scientists have not been able to unambiguously determine the cause of the disease. A number of factors have been linked to inflammation of the facial nerve.

Herpes virus. This virus lives in the body of most people and does not betray its presence. But when immunity falls, the virus actively multiplies. His favorite place is the nerve fibers. The herpes virus causes inflammation and swelling of the nerve. It is believed that the disease can also be caused by viruses. mumps, polio, enteroviruses and adenoviruses.
hypothermia. Hypothermia of the body leads to a decrease in immunity. In the case of neuritis of the facial nerve, local hypothermia is especially dangerous. For example, you have been in a draft for a long time. In this case, a spasm of blood vessels and muscles occurs, which contributes to malnutrition of the nerve and inflammation.
Taking large doses of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is a poison for the nervous system. It affects not only the brain, but also causes inflammation of the nerves.
Increased blood pressure. Hypertension can lead to increased intracranial pressure. In this case, the nuclei of the facial nerve suffer. In addition, high blood pressure can cause a stroke. If a hemorrhage occurs near the facial nerve, then it will also suffer.
Pregnancy. In this regard, the first trimester is especially dangerous. During this period, serious hormonal changes occur in a woman's body that affect the nervous system.
brain tumors. This is a fairly rare cause of neuritis, but it should not be ruled out. The tumor compresses the nerve and disrupts the conduction of nerve impulses.
Open or closed traumatic brain injury, ear injury. The impact causes damage or rupture of the nerve fibers. Fluid accumulates in this area, swelling and inflammation spreads throughout the nerve.
Unsuccessful treatment at the dentist. Transferred stress, infection from a carious cavity, or mechanical trauma to nerve endings can cause inflammation.
Transferred otitis media and sinusitis. Diseases of the ENT organs caused by viruses or bacteria can spread to surrounding tissues or cause compression of the nerve in the temporal bone canal.
Diabetes . This disease is accompanied by a metabolic disorder, which leads to the appearance of foci of inflammation.
Atherosclerosis. The capillaries that supply the nerve with blood become clogged with fatty plaques. As a result, the nerve starves and its cells die.
Stress and depression. Such conditions undermine the health of the nervous system and the defenses of the body as a whole.
Multiple sclerosis. This disease is associated with the destruction of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers and the formation of plaques in their place. Such processes often cause inflammation of the ophthalmic and facial nerves.

If you have signs of neuritis of the facial nerve, then on the same day, contact a neurologist. An experienced doctor can make a diagnosis without additional research. But in some cases, instrumental examinations are carried out. This is necessary to identify the cause of inflammation of the nerve. Neuritis can cause, tumors, inflammation of the meninges, similar symptoms occur with a stroke.

Blood analysis

Such results, together with other symptoms (headache, discharge from the ear, foci of purulent inflammation), may indicate prolonged otitis media, meningitis, or other diseases that led to neuritis.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

The study is based on the interaction of the magnetic field and hydrogen atoms. After irradiation, the atoms give off energy, which is recorded by sensitive sensors and makes it possible to obtain a layered image.

The procedure lasts about 40 minutes, its cost reaches 4-5 thousand rubles. This method is considered the most accurate, since the bones of the skull are not an obstacle to the magnetic field. In addition, in this case there is no risk of exposure to x-rays. Therefore, this procedure can be performed even for pregnant women.

MRI can detect the following signs of the disease:

brain tumors;
signs of a cerebral infarction;
abnormal vascular development;
inflammation of the meninges.

The results of an MRI allow the doctor to judge what exactly caused the development of the disease. This is necessary for the effective treatment of neuritis.

Computed tomography of the brain CT

The study is based on the properties of tissues to partially absorb x-rays. To obtain accurate information, irradiation is carried out from several points.

During the procedure, you lie down on a couch that moves along the scanner placed in the walls of the tube. The duration of the procedure is about 10 minutes. This study costs from 3 thousand rubles and is more widely distributed. As a result of the procedure, pathologies that caused neuritis can be detected:

tumors;
signs of a stroke;
areas of poor circulation near the nuclei of the facial nerve;
consequences of head injuries - hematomas of the brain.

Depending on the results of CT, the doctor chooses the tactics of treatment: removal of the tumor or restoration of blood circulation.

Electroneurography

The study of the speed of propagation of an electrical signal along the nerve. The nerve is stimulated with a weak electrical impulse in one place, and then activity is measured at two other points on its branches. The received data is automatically entered into the computer.

During the procedure, 2 electrodes are applied along the course of the facial nerve. Weak electrical discharges are applied to the first one, in this place you can feel a tingling sensation. The other electrode only picks up the signals. The procedure lasts 15-40 minutes. Cost from 1500 r.

Signs of the disease:

a decrease in the speed of impulse conduction - indicates inflammation of the nerve;
the electrical signal is not transmitted to one of the branches of the nerve - a rupture of the nerve fiber has occurred
a decrease in the number of muscle fibers excited by electricity - there is a danger of developing muscle atrophy;
facial muscles respond poorly to electrical discharges - the conduction of nerve impulses along the trunk is disturbed.

This method studies the electrical impulses that occur spontaneously in the muscles (without electrical stimulation). Often the study is carried out together with electroneurography.

During the procedure, thin disposable needles are inserted into different parts of the muscle. At this point, you experience short-term pain. Such needle electrodes make it possible to determine the propagation of an impulse in individual muscle fibers. To do this, the technician will first examine the relaxed muscles, and then ask you to frown your eyebrows, puff out your cheeks, wrinkle your nose.

With neuritis, the following deviations are detected:

the impulse takes longer to travel through the muscle;
the number of fibers that respond to the signal decreases.

Such results of the examination indicate that there is nerve damage. This method cannot detect inflammation, but only its consequences: muscle atrophy and contractures. A re-examination conducted after 2-3 weeks makes it possible to judge the effectiveness of the treatment.

The main cause of inflammation of the facial nerve is hypothermia. The main one, but not the only one.

Neuropathy of the facial nerve develops. Treatment with folk remedies can have a positive effect, not only in the cold season, since the reasons can be very different:

Transmitted viral infection. Absolutely any virus can be the cause of neuritis, but most often representatives from the herpes family lead to the development of this disease, for example, provoking shingles.
Reduced immunity. This allows viruses to develop more actively in the body and feel comfortable there. With immune dysfunction, the chance of getting sick increases significantly. That is why maintaining immunity at the proper level is considered the best prevention of any disease.
Hypothermia. And both general and local character. Staying in a draft, even a slight or low temperature exposure to one half of the facial area leads to inflammation of the facial nerve, home treatment of which can quickly bring a person back to normal.
Excessive physical activity or strong emotional upheavals, both positive and negative. This leads to exhaustion of the body, immune dysfunction, which means that the protective functions are not fully performed.
Improper nutrition, monotonous and meager, abuse of products that can cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Not always inflammation of the facial nerve leads to the development of neuritis, this requires a physical impact on it. As a rule, this happens during a conversation, touching your face, brushing your teeth and shaving, applying makeup and even blowing the wind.

1. sharp hypothermia after a bath and sauna, spending a long time in strong drafts, long exposure to cold gusty wind on the muscles of the face;

2. infections of a viral type (parotitis, tonsillitis, herpes, influenza);

3. infections of bacterial origin (brucellosis, diphtheria, syphilis, leptospirosis);

4. inflammatory processes in the ears (otitis media of all stages);

5. trauma of the skull in the temporal areas;

6. operational implications;

7. tumors of various manifestations;

8. meningitis, encephalitis, head cold and similar diseases;

9. connective tissue diseases;

10. cardinal disorders in the body's metabolic system (diabetes mellitus);

11. failures in blood circulation;

12. multiple sclerosis;

13. inflammation of the meninges;

14. unsuccessful dental operations.

Of course, this is not the whole list of diseases and actions that provoke neurosis of the facial muscles. But they often become the main causes of the appearance and development of this type of disease. True, neuritis often manifests itself in different ways.

Symptoms of the manifestation of the initial stages of the disease

It is difficult to recognize a disease if it affects a person for the first time. After all, the symptoms of neurosis initially resemble otitis media or a cold. It hurts badly behind the ear, radiating towards the back of the head or cheek. Dry mouth sets in, the perception of sounds increases and the pain seems to shoot through the whole head.

primary (the main causes of occurrence are colds, hypothermia);
secondary (develops due to infection, herpetic virus, otitis media, brain diseases, caries, injuries).

Herpes virus. This virus lives in the body of most people and does not betray its presence. But when immunity falls, the virus actively multiplies. His favorite place is the nerve fibers. The herpes virus causes inflammation and swelling of the nerve. It is believed that the disease can also be caused by mumps, polio, enteroviruses and adenoviruses.
Hypothermia. Hypothermia of the body leads to a decrease in immunity. In the case of neuritis of the facial nerve, local hypothermia is especially dangerous. For example, you have been in a draft for a long time. In this case, a spasm of blood vessels and muscles occurs, which contributes to malnutrition of the nerve and inflammation.
Taking large doses of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is a poison for the nervous system. It affects not only the brain, but also causes inflammation of the nerves.
High blood pressure. Hypertension can lead to increased intracranial pressure. In this case, the nuclei of the facial nerve suffer. In addition, high blood pressure can cause a stroke. If a hemorrhage occurs near the facial nerve, then it will also suffer.
Pregnancy. In this regard, the first trimester is especially dangerous. During this period, serious hormonal changes occur in a woman's body that affect the nervous system.
brain tumors. This is a fairly rare cause of neuritis, but it should not be ruled out. The tumor compresses the nerve and disrupts the conduction of nerve impulses.
Open or closed craniocerebral injuries, ear injuries. The impact causes damage or rupture of the nerve fibers. Fluid accumulates in this area, swelling and inflammation spreads throughout the nerve.
Unsuccessful treatment at the dentist. Transferred stress, infection from a carious cavity, or mechanical trauma to nerve endings can cause inflammation.
Transferred otitis media and sinusitis. ENT diseases caused by viruses or bacteria can spread to surrounding tissues or cause nerve compression in the temporal bone canal.
Diabetes mellitus. This disease is accompanied by a metabolic disorder, which leads to the appearance of foci of inflammation.
Atherosclerosis. The capillaries that supply the nerve with blood become clogged with fatty plaques. As a result, the nerve starves and its cells die.
Stress and depression. Such conditions undermine the health of the nervous system and the defenses of the body as a whole.
Multiple sclerosis. This disease is associated with the destruction of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers and the formation of plaques in their place. Such processes often cause inflammation of the ophthalmic and facial nerves.

a significant increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
increase in the number of leukocytes;
decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes.

exacerbation of herpes;
long stay in the cold and subsequent cold;
tumors;
mechanical compression;
circulatory disorders for various reasons;
ear infection;
inflammatory processes in the teeth and gums.

Hypothermia is the main cause of neuritis, especially hypothermia of the face and neck. It happened that a person's mouth twisted when he drove a car, sticking his head out of the window, another - when he walked through the frost after a bath, the third stopped closing his eye after a long work in a draft.
Infectious diseases are the second most popular cause of neuritis, often the disease develops against the background of influenza, tonsillitis, rheumatism.
Injuries and tumors of the face
Inflammation of the meninges.
Consequences of dental operations.

infectious diseases;
vascular disease (eg, atherosclerosis);
traumatic brain injury;
hypothermia (most often caused by a draft);
neoplasms of the brain;
acute inflammatory diseases of the brain, as well as ears, facial sinuses;
consequences of anesthesia made in the process of dental manipulations.

brain tumors;
signs of a cerebral infarction;
abnormal vascular development;
inflammation of the meninges.

Damage to the nervous tissue (neuritis) is accompanied by the development of an inflammatory process. The causes of inflammation are varied, for example, the appearance of an aneurysm (protrusion of an artery), infection, trauma, etc. One of the most common types of pathology is neuritis of the facial nerve. Due to the inflamed nerve bundle, the patient has tightness (increased muscle tone) and swelling at the site of injury. The muscles of the face at the same time begin to twitch involuntarily and all this against the background of severe pain. It is possible to treat neurosis of the facial nerve using traditional methods and methods of traditional medicine, but it is advisable to consult a doctor before starting therapy.

Neuritis of the facial nerve in children and adults has the same causes. The only difference is that babies suffer more from infectious diseases and injuries, and people at a more mature age from disruptions in blood flow.

The list of reasons why a nerve may become inflamed is as follows:

hypothermia;
Infection;
Injury;
Failures in the circulatory system;
Pathology of the brain;
Incorrectly performed anesthesia.

A nerve can become inflamed due to several reasons at the same time, for example, an infection often occurs against the background of hypothermia. Such nuances are extremely important when drawing up a course of therapy, therefore, it is necessary to identify the cause of the disease in the first place.

Symptoms

With neuritis of the facial nerve, the treatment is interconnected with the symptoms, since it is often necessary to stop the signs of the pathology, especially if the child has a problem. Typically, such inflammation is accompanied by a distortion of the face due to paralysis of certain muscle groups. The patient cannot completely close the eye and his speech is often distorted. Due to facial neuritis, eating is difficult and the person may choke.

In the first hours, the inflamed nerve manifests itself in the form of pain that radiates to the ear. Despite the prevalence of the disease, it appears mainly between the ages of 16 and 55, and every tenth person eventually relapses. A distinctive feature of inflammation of the facial nerve is a high likelihood of consequences, since many symptoms persist for quite a long time.

Signs of neuritis are usually the following:

Pain and weakening of muscle tissue on the side of inflammation of the facial nerve;
Difficulties in using facial expressions;
Increased perception of sounds;
Pain radiating to the jaw and ear;
Impaired perception of tastes;
Headache;
Increased or decreased salivation and lacrimation.

With inflammation of the disease, the symptoms and treatment also depend on the form of the pathology. Basically, it is quite mild and goes away on its own, but there are times when the course of neuritis is acute. For this type of disease, the following symptoms are characteristic:

Irreparable damage to the nervous tissue, which manifests itself in the form of chronic pain;
The growth of abnormal nerve endings that provoke involuntary movements of the muscles of the face;
Due to the constant dryness of the eye, vision sometimes deteriorates.

Diagnostics

If you experience the slightest signs of neuritis, you should consult a neurologist. The doctor can easily identify the presence of a problem, but an instrumental examination is carried out to determine its causes:

Blood analysis. It is taken from the finger to exclude bacterial infections;
Tomography (Magnetic resonance and computer). This type of study allows you to see all the details of the brain and fully see the vessels;
Electroneurography. A procedure is carried out to determine the speed of the nerve impulse and current stimulation is used;
Electromyography. Unlike the previous type of study, this method serves to determine the presence of electrical impulses without current stimulation.

Having collected all the necessary data, the doctor will be able to explain to the patient how to treat inflammation of the facial nerve. Without diagnosis, therapy consists only in relieving symptoms, but such treatment will not eliminate the cause of the problem.

Course of therapy

It is possible to treat a diseased facial nerve at home, but you need to know how to do it. You can find out this nuance from your doctor. Usually he prescribes a treatment regimen that must be strictly adhered to. It includes methods to eliminate the factor influencing the development of the disease and drugs to relieve the symptoms of neuritis.

It is possible to use one drug treatment, but it is advisable to combine drugs with other methods of therapy, for example, with physiotherapy, gymnastics and traditional medicine. If you treat neuritis from the first days, combining techniques, you can achieve good results.

Treatment for neurosis of the facial nerve should begin by reading the list of useful recommendations:

It is necessary to dress warmly and not overcool the head;
For the first 2-3 weeks, it is advisable to wear a bandage on the damaged side of the face;
Facial asymmetry can be eliminated without waiting for the results of therapy, but for this you will have to use a special adhesive plaster for tension;
In the first 7 days, treatment at home should take place in absolute rest. Further, additional methods are introduced into the course of therapy. Among them are therapeutic massage and physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy for neuritis of the facial nerve is used to strengthen the effect of the main treatment. It includes methods:

mud masks;
Ultrasound with hydrocortisone.

Physiotherapy is used after consultation with a doctor. In some situations, it can aggravate the condition, so it is not recommended to use such methods on your own.

Medical therapy

With inflammation of the nerve on the face, treatment with drugs is as follows:

The basis of the course of drug treatment is drugs with an anti-inflammatory effect, for example, Prednisolone, as well as antispasmodics and tablets to reduce the tone of the vessel walls;
In most cases, the pain is severe enough to be managed with analgesics;
Sometimes medicines are used to restore tissue metabolism, for example, Nerobolil;
If neuritis was caused by a viral infection, then antiviral drugs are used;
Vitamins of group B and anticholinesterase tablets like Prozerin can increase immunity and improve the general condition.

According to statistics, it is much easier to cure neuritis of the facial nerve if you start therapy in the early days. You can speed up this process by administering medicines using a dropper.

ethnoscience

Treatment of neuritis with folk remedies is carried out against the background of the main therapy. Her recipes help speed up the regeneration process without harming the body. The use of such methods is allowed only after consulting a doctor, so as not to reduce the effectiveness of the main course of treatment.

Among the methods of traditional medicine, an elderberry compress showed itself in the best way. The berries need to be crushed, the resulting mixture can be applied to the affected area of the face. It is necessary to use this tool in the morning and in the evening.

Taking a bath helps with neuritis. This procedure soothes and relieves pain. You can add sage, linden and walnut leaves to the bath.

Treatment with folk remedies helps to speed up tissue healing, removes muscle spasm and well reduces the intensity of pain attacks, but they cannot eliminate the cause of the problem.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture for neuritis of the facial nerve is effective, the patient's general well-being improves and pain decreases. This result is achieved due to the impact of needles on certain points.

Acupuncture is used to achieve the following goals:

Reducing inflammation;
Removal of pain;
Normalization of nerve impulse conduction;
Improving the sensitivity of muscle tissue.

Acupuncture should be performed by an experienced specialist and it is not recommended to use this method of treatment on your own. Improper use of needles can further damage the inflamed nerve.

Physiotherapy

Doctors advise not to wait for instant results, as it will take a long time to treat the nerve (3-6 months). To increase the effectiveness of therapy, you can use therapeutic exercises. Her set of exercises is as follows:

Forcefully close your eyes for 10-15 seconds (repeat 10 times);
Raise the eyebrows up together with the eyelids and fix for 5-10 seconds (repeat 10 times);
Furrow your eyebrows and linger in this form for 10 seconds (repeat 15 times);
Take a big breath, and then cover your nose with your hands and try to slowly exhale air with them (repeat 5 times);
Smile as wide as possible and stay in this position for 5 seconds (repeat 7 times);
A walnut should be put on the cheek from the side of the inflamed nerve and try to talk for 2-3 minutes;

Forecast

In most cases, the consequences of neuritis of the facial nerve can be avoided. However, the longer there is no effect of therapy, the less chance of a full recovery. This phenomenon occurs if the cause of the pathology is not eliminated and only symptomatic treatment is dealt with, but in general the prognosis is favorable and only in rare cases do relapses of the disease occur. If the pathology nevertheless reappeared, then the chances to eliminate its consequences become less and less every time.

Many people experience neuritis of the facial nerve. It occurs due to various reasons, but manifests itself mostly in the same way. It is recommended to treat such inflammation from the first day and in this case a long course of therapy is not required.

Neuritis (paresis, Bell's palsy) of the facial nerve provokes dysfunction of the facial muscles. In most patients, the pathology affects one side. The appearance of neuropathy of the facial nerve is due to its damage or inflammation. The disease is characterized by a long course. When choosing a treatment, it is important to understand what paresis of the facial nerve is, and what causes the pathology.

What is facial neuritis?

To determine the reasons why neuritis develops, it is necessary to consider the anatomy of the facial nerve. The latter consists of the following elements:

a site located in the cerebral cortex (regulates the movement of facial muscles);
nerve nucleus;
the nucleus of the facial pathway (regulates the work of taste buds);
superior salivary nucleus (responsible for the work of the lacrimal and salivary glands);
motor branches.

The facial nerve passes through the auditory canal and connects the muscles of the forehead, cheeks, eyes, nostrils, and mouth.

With neuritis, the impulses that the brain emits are disturbed. As a result, the pathology causes a decrease in the functionality of the muscles of the front of the head.

Classification

Depending on the cause, two types of neuritis of the facial nerve are distinguished:

primary (occurs against the background of hypothermia);
secondary (develops as a result of damage to the trigeminal nerve in various pathologies).

Paresis is also classified according to location into:

peripheral;
central.

With peripheral paresis of the facial nerve (Bell's palsy), only one side of the face is affected, which is due to inflammation of local tissues.

Such a lesion provokes a decrease in muscle tone. Inflammatory processes in the nerve fibers cause a narrowing of the channel through which they pass. This causes Bell's palsy.

With central paresis of the facial nerve, there is a violation of the functions of the muscles located below the forehead and eyes. This form of pathology occurs when brain tissue is damaged.

Approximately 10% of patients are diagnosed with congenital paresis. Mild and moderate forms of this type of disease are treatable. In severe cases, surgery is required.

Causes

To date, factors that cause the development of pathology have not been identified. Researchers believe that, regardless of the form of facial nerve paresis, the causes of inflammation are due to the following factors:

Among the probable causes of the development of paresis, there is a violation of blood flow in the tissues of the face, which may be due to the following pathologies:

ischemic stroke;
hypertensive crisis;
multiple sclerosis;
diabetes;
atherosclerosis.

Each of the factors listed above causes spasm or constriction of the capillaries. As a result, stagnation of blood occurs, due to which the arteries expand in some areas. The fluid, seeping through the walls of the capillaries, accumulates in the intercellular space, which leads to the formation of edema.

The described processes disrupt the blood flow in local tissues. Oxygen deficiency leads to swelling of the nerve trunk. Because of this, the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain to muscle fibers is disrupted.

Symptoms of the disease

With trigeminal neuralgia, symptoms occur rapidly. If such disorders develop slowly, then another disease serves as their cause.

Symptoms of neuritis of the facial nerve are as follows:

Pain radiating to the face or back of the head. The syndrome occurs 1-2 days before the first signs of facial expression disorder appear.
Facial asymmetry. Occurs mainly either on the right or on the left. In acute nerve neuropathy, the corner of the mouth drops and the eye opens wide. Symptoms become more pronounced during a conversation.
The eye from the side of the affected nerve does not close. When you try to close your eyes, a noticeable gap remains.
The cheek muscles stop responding to commands.
Dryness in the mouth. Explained by dysfunction of the salivary glands.
Slurred speech. The symptom is due to the fact that only part of the mouth is involved in articulation.
Dry eye. Occurs against the background of dysfunction of the lacrimal glands. Also for this reason, some patients experience profuse lacrimation.
Violation of the perception of taste. Affects one half of the tongue.
Increased sensitivity to sounds.

With compression-ischemic neuropathy of the facial nerve, characterized by damage to the cerebral cortex, the following phenomena are observed:

involuntary movement of the facial muscles;
nervous tic;
paralysis of the muscles of the lower part of the face.

Also, with paresis, patients have the following clinical symptoms:

nystagmus (rapid and involuntary movements of the eyeballs);
numbness of a part of the face;
frequent twitching in the throat and in the palate;
impaired coordination of one of the halves of the body;
nervous deafness.

With neuritis of the facial nerve, the symptoms and treatment depend on the affected area. In particular, paralysis of facial muscles occurs due to damage to the cerebral cortex.

How to treat paresis of the facial nerve?

This pathology is treated by a neurologist. The disease is characterized by characteristic symptoms, so the diagnosis of neuritis of the facial nerve is often not carried out. However, in order to exclude other pathologies with similar clinical signs, an additional examination is prescribed, which includes the following procedures:

If neuritis is suspected, a set of diagnostic measures is often prescribed, through which it is possible to establish the causative factor and the location of the inflammatory process.

Medical treatment

It is quite difficult to predict in advance how much neurosis is treated. The duration of therapy is influenced by the nature of the lesion, the degree of neglect, the cause of the pathology and other factors. If the causes of facial nerve paresis, symptoms are identified, and treatment is started in a timely manner, it takes about 6 months for the patient to recover.

In the treatment of pathology, an integrated approach is used. With neurosis of the facial nerve, treatment is carried out with the help of various drugs, the selection of which is carried out taking into account the causative factor. At the same time, medications are prescribed to relieve the symptoms of the disease.

With inflammation, drug treatment involves taking the following drugs:

Operational treatment

Paresis of the facial muscles (prosoparesis) is usually treated with medication. However, if this approach does not give positive results within 8-10 months, surgical intervention is prescribed. The operation is effective only in the first year. Later, irreversible changes occur in the muscles.

More often, operations are performed with compression-ischemic neuropathy of the facial nerve. Such disorders occur due to head trauma, which is not amenable to medical treatment. In addition, surgical intervention is indicated in case of nerve degeneration.

The tactics of the operation is determined depending on the nature of the damage. With a compression lesion, the incision is made behind the auricle. Next, the outer wall of the facial nerve canal is removed. As a result, the pressure on him disappears.

When the facial nerve is torn, an incision is made in the area where the problem is found. In case of serious damage, an autograft is placed. The latter is a nerve taken from the thigh. It is introduced into the area where the gap occurred. The femoral nerve is then sutured to the facial.

Physiotherapy methods

Physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed 7-10 days after the onset of signs of neuropathy of the facial nerve. In the treatment of neuritis are used:

UHF low-thermal intensity. The method improves the nutrition of damaged tissues, relieves swelling. UHF stimulates the synthesis of leukocytes, which suppress the inflammatory process.
ultraviolet irradiation. UV by stimulating the synthesis of a number of hormones and immune cells has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Decimeter therapy. In the course of such exposure, the vessels expand, which accelerates blood flow and restores nerve functions in the problem area.
Electrophoresis with a 0.02% solution of dibazol, a 0.1% solution of prozerin, potassium or vitamin B1. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Electrophoresis eliminates tissue swelling.
Diadynamic therapy. The procedure is used to restore the contractile function of the muscles.
Paraffin or ozocerite applications. Stimulate the process of regeneration of damaged nerve fibers.

When applying physiotherapeutic methods of treatment, it is important to avoid hypothermia of the face. It is recommended not to leave the room for 15-20 minutes after each procedure.

Psychotherapy

Neuritis of the facial nerve negatively affects the mental state of the patient. The situation when polyneuropathy occurs is especially dangerous for a person. This disease is accompanied by multiple lesions of the peripheral nerves, which reduces the sensitivity of the face.

If treatment with sedative drugs does not improve the patient's condition, it is recommended to seek help from a psychotherapist. Otherwise, mental disorders can accelerate the course of the disease and provoke the development of more severe complications.

Acupuncture and folk remedies

By conducting acupuncture procedures for neuritis of the facial nerve, noticeable improvements can be achieved. This method achieves the following results:

eliminate inflammation;
accelerate the recovery of damaged fibers;
stop pain;
get rid of paralysis of mimic muscles;
eliminate accompanying phenomena.

Acupuncture helps restore muscle tone. It is allowed to resort to this method 5-7 days after the onset of symptoms of the pathology.

It is important to understand that only a doctor can determine how to cure neuritis. It is not recommended to engage in the restoration of the facial nerve on your own. This also applies to home treatment using traditional medicine methods. The latter can complement, but not replace, drug therapy.

In the treatment of pathology, the following folk remedies are used:

Treatment of pathology takes a long time. Therefore, the first results become noticeable no earlier than 10 days after the start of therapy.

Other treatments

To cure neuritis of the facial nerve, before the massage it is necessary to make several tilts and rotations of the head.

Manipulations should begin with the back of the head and neck. Then you can knead the skin on the healthy and affected parts of the face. In the early days, self-massage should be done with extreme caution, without pressing on the problem area.

To improve the flow of lymph, you need to run your fingers from the chin, nose and forehead to the auricles. In this case, areas where lymph nodes are located should be avoided. The procedure ends in the same way as it began: with a massage of the neck and back of the head.

raise, frown eyebrows;
smile, spreading your lips to the sides as much as possible;
inflate nostrils;
retract cheeks;
lower the lower lip
run your tongue across your lips from side to side;
squint, close your eyes.

In other words, when performing exercises, it is necessary to involve all groups of facial muscles. These exercises should be repeated up to three times a day.

Complications of neuritis of the facial nerve

Not only paralysis occurs against the background of neuritis. The long course of the pathology causes the following consequences:

amyotrophy;
contraction of mimic muscles;
blepharospasm, hemispasm (involuntary muscle twitching);
facial synkinesis;
inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes.

Neuritis is a fairly common pathology that gives severe complications. It is recommended to start treatment of the disease immediately after the onset of the first symptoms.

With this approach, the full restoration of the functions of the facial muscles takes an average of 6 months.