Cases of Horner's syndrome are not too common in modern medical practice. The disease is associated with damage to the nerve fibers of the sympathetic system. It is worth considering that quite often a similar pathology occurs against the background of other extremely dangerous diseases. That is why, when the first symptoms appear, you should seek help.
Horner's Syndrome: Causes
In some cases, such a disease is congenital. Sometimes nerve fibers are damaged during medical intervention or due to trauma. And it is worth noting that most often the disease has a benign course. On the other hand, the development of Horner's syndrome may indicate the presence of severe pathologies.
Sometimes, for one reason or another, compression of the sympathetic chain occurs in the thoracic or cervical region, which, of course, affects the functioning of the nerves. In some cases, the syndrome occurs against a background of cluster headaches or middle ear inflammation.
Squeezing and damage to nerve fibers can be caused by the growth of a tumor, in particular, carcinoma of the apex of the lung or thyroid gland. Sometimes the disease appears against the background of multiple sclerosis, aneurysm, or aortic dissection.
That is why at the first signs of Horner's syndrome, a complete examination of the body is necessary . Treatment of the disease itself is possible only if its primary cause is eliminated.
Horner's syndrome: symptoms
As a rule, the main signs of the disease appear on the face, so it is not so difficult to notice them. Due to damage to nerve fibers, innervation is disturbed, and, consequently, the work of certain tissues.
Interestingly, one side is mostly damaged, which makes the disease even more noticeable. In particular, one of the most common symptoms is ptosis caused by a violation of the innervation of the tarsal muscle - one upper eyelid of the patient is constantly omitted. By the way, sometimes it happens and vice versa - the lower eyelid rises.
In addition, patients with a similar diagnosis often have miosis, as a result of which one pupil is always narrowed. In some cases, the pupil completely ceases to respond to light. Symptoms also include retraction of the eyeball. If the disease appeared in childhood, then the child has heterochromia, in which the irises of the eyes have a different color.
Sometimes the skin of one half of the face swells and turns red. In some cases, the normal processes of sweating are disrupted.
Diagnosis and treatment of Horner's syndrome
A number of tests are used to diagnose the disease. For example, drops of cocaine hypochloride are used, which in a normal state of the body cause a sharp expansion of the pupil - in case of a violation of the sympathetic system, no reaction is observed. As for the treatment, it boils down to a complete examination of the body and the elimination of the causes of the syndrome. In some cases, such a disease goes away on its own. Sometimes the method of myoneurostimulation is used, which consists in exposing the affected nerve or immobilized muscle to certain discharges of electric current.