Facial twitching is an involuntary spasms of facial and eye muscles. You may have come across many people, who have twitching of eyelids, twitching at the corner of mouth, wrinkling of nose, squinting, blinking or grimacing. All these symptoms are result of facial muscle spasm.
Though facial twitching in most cases lasts for a short period, without giving rise to any complications, there are instances where it may continue for weeks and months. If it persists for many days, it is imperative to know the reason behind this annoying and embarrassing condition.
What Causes Involuntary Facial Muscle Twitching?
- Stress: it is considered to a primary and most common reason for facial muscle spasm. If a person is stressed and anxious the existing spasm may worsen. Facial twitching due to stress is generally transient; they remain for a short period.
- Excess of physical exertion may precipitate facial and eye muscle spasm. It can be due to muscle fatigue.
- Side effects of certain medicines can produce facial twitching.
- Drinking excess of coffee, or any other caffeinated drinks can cause involuntary twitching of muscles, facial muscles are one of them.
- Facial twitching can be due to facial neuralgia. It is a condition which is characterized by severe one sided facial pain. The reason for facial neuralgia is not completely understood, but researchers believe it to be due to nerve damage.
- Hemifacial spasm is a condition originating due to constant irritation of facial nerve. It is caused due to compression of the nerve from adjacent blood vessels, or a tumor.
- Person suffering from Parkinson’s disease can also suffer from facial twitching. Parkinson’s disease is present in elderly individuals.
- Children can also suffer from facial twitching. Most of the cases result from extreme stress, and anxiety. They last for a short period.
- Deficiency of certain nutrients, especially B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium may trigger facial twitching.
Home Remedies For Facial Twitching
In most cases, facial twitching is transient and requires no treatment. However, managing dietary changes and stress are the best options. Eating a healthy diet comprising of foods containing all the required nutrients is necessary for relieving muscle spasm and general health.
- Food rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium is found to be useful in reducing facial spasm. Also vitamin B complex calms the nervous system. So if you are under stress, increase your intake of vitamin B rich foods. Green leafy vegetables, spinach, bananas, oats, liver, eggs, potatoes, cereals and grains, are foods that you should regularly eat.
- Massage helps to relieve strained and fatigued muscles. Facial massage is beneficial for this purpose.
- Herbs: herbs such as chamomile, St. John’s Wort or passion flower are effective in nerve related problems. Tea prepared from these herbs soothes the strained nerves due to mental and physical stress. It helps to control and minimize facial twitching.
- Avoid taking too much of caffeinated products, this may include coffee, tea, chocolate, etc.
- If your eyelids are twitching frequently, sleeping regularly for 7 to 8 hours will reduce the twitching.
- Same way, spend few hours watching television or working on computers if your eyelid is twitching. It will provide much needed rest to eye muscles.