A patient with facial neuritis can be recognized immediately: crooked eyes, mouth, crooked smile, change in facial expressions immediately catches your eye. However, the worst thing is that the time for treatment of facial neuritis is quite limited. If damaged nerves are not restored within a few months, then the chances of recovery are sharply reduced.
After about a year or two, pathological manifestations can only be slightly reduced, but not completely eliminated. After 5 to 10 years, all therapeutic measures will be aimed at at least partially restoring the work of nerve endings. What you need to know about the symptoms and treatment of inflammation of the facial nerve, so as not to miss the right time?
The concept of facial neuritis
The main reason for the crooked smile is neuritis (inflammation) of the facial nerve. This is a paresis, characterized by partial damage to the facial nerve with the loss of certain functions. In severe cases, when the pathways of the conducting nerves in the face are completely affected, we can talk about paralysis. Thus, this pathology is a partial or complete damage to the motor pathways from neurons located in the cerebral cortex to the end of the branches of the facial nerves with a violation of their functioning:
- facial expressions (smile, raising eyebrows, wrinkling of the nose or forehead, teeth grin, etc.);
- speech;
- smell function;
- closing eyes or blinking.
Facial nerve
The facial nerve is considered the main nerve of the human face. It emerges to the surface in the temporal bone and is divided into several branches:
- temporal lobe;
- zygomatic;
- buccal;
- cervical and mandibular.
It performs mixed functions: it provides secretion, movement, sensations (smell, taste). The facial nerve has a certain symmetry: thanks to it, both eyes close and open at the same time, both corners of the mouth are at the same height, with a smile they stretch symmetrically, when you try to raise the eyebrows they rise at the same height, and symmetrical folds form on the forehead.
Paresis or paralysis
If any part of the facial nerve is affected, paresis or paralysis of a particular branch occurs - motor activity is disturbed in this area, and the patient cannot smile. His mouth begins to twist and his teeth are not exposed with a smile on one side, one eye may not open. There may also be some disturbances in the taste buds on the affected side. And salivation from this side, on the contrary, intensifies. So a crooked smile appears.
With lesions of the facial nerve, as a rule, it becomes inflamed - upon palpation with the index and thumb of the affected cheek, densification of nerve branches will be clearly felt (it should be palpated very carefully, as this gives the person painful sensations).
Symptomatology
There is a crooked smile and facial neuritis in different ways, depending on the location and degree of the pathological process of the lesion. As a rule, paresis is one-sided, which is why they say that the patient's face is twisted on one side and her smile is twisted. And in extremely rare cases, bilateral neuritis of the facial nerve occurs, in which the whole face is equally motionless and deformed.
Skewed face
The most characteristic external manifestation of this condition is a lowered and fixed corner of the mouth, a distorted eye, and a cheek. Mild or profuse salivation, lacrimation from the affected side can also be observed. Moreover, the patient does not feel these nerves - he seems to forget how to wrinkle his nose, smile or raise an eyebrow. Muscle fibers on one side are motionless due to impaired nerve patency. There may also be a deterioration or complete loss of taste.
Sharp pain
Another symptom characteristic of nerve paresis on the face is an acute pain syndrome, similar to an electric shock. He in most cases occurs when trying to make certain movements (smile). This indicates that the nerve is not completely paralyzed, but is strangulated somewhere.
Not everyone knows what causes a crooked smile.
Causes of pathology
Scientists still have not been able to establish a unique cause of this disease. A number of factors are associated with facial nerve inflammation:
- Hypothermia, which leads to a decrease in the body's immune defense. In the case of neuritis, local hypothermia is especially dangerous. For example, a person was in a draft for a long time. In this case, a spasm of blood vessels and muscles occurs, which causes a violation of the nerve nutrition and the development of a smile curve.
- The herpes virus, which lives in the body of most people and does not manifest itself. However, in the event of a decrease in immunity, it actively multiplies in its favorite place - in the structures of nerve fibers. The virus causes nerve edema and inflammation. It is believed that polio viruses, mumps, enterovirus and adenoviruses can also provoke this pathology.
- Taking a lot of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is the strongest poison for the nervous system. It can affect not only the brain, but also cause inflammation of the facial nerves.
- High blood pressure. Hypertension can lead to an increase in intracranial pressure. In this case, the nuclei of the facial nerve are affected. In addition, high blood pressure often causes a stroke. And if hemorrhage occurs near the facial nerve, then it also suffers.
- Pregnancy. The first trimester is especially dangerous. In such a period, hormonal changes occur in the female body that affect the nervous system.
- Brain tumor. This is a rare cause of neuritis, however, it should not be ruled out. The tumor grows, compresses the nerve and disrupts the passage of nerve impulses.
- Traumatic brain or ear injuries. A shock provokes damage or rupture of a nerve fiber. At this site, fluid begins to accumulate, swelling and inflammation occur, which subsequently spreads to the entire nerve.
- Unsuccessful dental procedures, carious infection.
- Severe stress.
- Transferred sinusitis and otitis. Pathologies of ENT organs of a bacterial or viral nature can spread to neighboring tissues or cause inflammation of the nerve in the temporal bone.
- Diabetes. With this disease, metabolic disorders develop, which provokes the development of foci of inflammation.
- Atherosclerosis. The capillary vessels that supply blood to the nerve are clogged with plaques. As a result, the nerve begins to starve and its cells die.
- Multiple sclerosis. This disease is associated with the destruction of the myelin sheath of nerves and the formation of plaques. Similar processes cause inflammation of the facial and optic nerves.
Diagnostics
To establish a diagnosis is quite simple - in a patient it is "written on the face." The main outward sign is an asymmetric smile. However, for adequate therapy, it is important to determine the location and extent of the lesion. By external signs, we can only assume which branches are affected, but this is not enough for a complete clinical picture.
For diagnosis, electroneuromyography is used to assess the conductivity of nerve endings, track the signal path and find the lesion site.
An MRI can also be prescribed. In the pictures of which the affected nerves and surrounding tissues are visible.
Treatment
People often ask: "What pills to drink if a wry smile?". Let's figure it out.
It is necessary to treat neuritis of the facial nerve no later than 3 to 7 days after the onset of the first symptoms. This is because the disease progresses rapidly as nerve cells begin to die.
It is important to figure out in advance how to fix a crooked smile.
With facial neuritis, medications are prescribed with a content of B vitamins. This is a neurotropic combination that improves metabolic processes, trophic nerve pathways, and impulse transmission. Also prescribed lipoic acid (thioctacid) and the drug "Celtican".
To restore the functions of movement, the patient is prescribed a massage of the face and collar zone, physiotherapy exercises, which is aimed at restoring the blood supply to the affected nerves.
Exercises
What gymnastics can be performed with inflammation of the facial nerve? How to fix a crooked smile with exercises?
It is necessary to make the nerve fibers begin to function again. For classes, you need to use a mirror in front of which they do gymnastics: raising and lowering eyebrows, blowing air through lips folded into a tube, pronouncing sounds, syllables and words, trying not to twist lips on one side.
We examined the symptoms and treatment of facial inflammation. For therapy to be effective, it is necessary to approach the process comprehensively. A variety of physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect, which are aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process in nerve fibers and restoring their conductivity.