Among all nervous cranial disorders, damage to the facial nerve takes a leading place. The development of this disease causes paralysis of the muscles of half of the face, as a result of which the patient experiences severe trauma not only of a physical, but also of a psychological nature. The consequence of this condition can be neuroparalytic keratitis, which often leads to complete blindness. The reasons why the facial nerve is most often affected are: removal of tumors in the face, operations on the organs of the hearing, injuries to the brain and skull, accompanied by fractures of the bones, injuries of the neck, as well as the development of inflammatory processes such as neuritis.
Symptoms of a facial nerve disorder
The disease is manifested by the following symptoms:
- atrophy of the facial muscles of half the face with possible paralysis;
- pronounced muscle asymmetry even at rest;
- smoothness of wrinkles on the affected side;
- violation of the processes of swallowing and chewing;
- lack of movements of the lower eyelid;
- violation of lacrimation.
Types of Facial Neuritis
If the facial nerve is affected for the first time, this most often indicates the result of a cold. With severe hypothermia, tissue edema and vasospasm occurs, which leads to disruption of nervous nutrition and such pronounced pathological changes as paralysis. Secondary neuritis is the result of intoxication of the body, infectious diseases, encephalitis, inflammatory and tumor processes, hypertensive crises, as well as mumps and otitis.
How to treat the facial nerve
Partially impaired nerve conduction needs conservative treatment, which should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor who specializes in pathological changes in the peripheral nerves. The complex of the main measures to which the facial nerve is exposed includes corticosteroid injections,
muscle electrostimulation, exercise therapy, massage, as well as the intake of vitamins and drugs that improve microcirculation. In some cases, the patient is prescribed acupuncture, however, this procedure contributes to the early contracture of facial muscles. It should be noted that the most relevant diagnostic methods to examine the facial nerve, today are MRI and EMG. If the patient has a complete violation of nerve conduction for several months, surgical treatment is carried out, the practicability of which is determined by the doctor, based on individual indicators of the patient’s health status.
Types of operations on the facial nerve
The surgeon can determine the feasibility of one of the following operations:
- nervous decompression in the fallopian canal;
- suture, autoplasty and neurolysis of the nerve;
- reinnervation is carried out if it is impossible to restore the integrity of the trunk;
- plastic surgery, correcting a cosmetic defect.
In any case, no matter what treatment method is used to achieve a lasting effect, one should approach this problem with all seriousness, and competent postoperative rehabilitation will allow you to maintain your health and attractiveness for a long time.