Face Is Twitching

About the Symptom

Involuntary movements or twitching of facial muscles. Spasms may occur due to nerve injury or irritation, such as from a pulsating blood vessel.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Convulsions on the face

Possible Causes

Generally, Face is twitching can be related to:

• Muscular Dystrophy

  Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of diseases causing progressive weakness and muscle wasting. It is caused by mutated genes that normally allow healthy muscles to form. Different types of MD can appear at different ages, ranging from childhood to adulthood, and also present different levels of severity and clinical manifestations.

• Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO)

  Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare condition in which the immune system damages the spinal cord and the optic nerves.

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

  Multiple sclerosis (MS) disease in which the immune system attacks parts of the brain and spinal cord. The direct cause of MS remains unknown, but certain risk factors have been identified such as low vitamin D levels, tobacco smoking, exposure to UV radiation, childhood obesity, and infection with the virus that causes mononucleosis. The disease tends to affect young people more commonly as well as people living in higher latitudes. MS typically occurs in "attacks" which can include but are not limited to painful eye movements, blurry vision in one eye, numbness or weakness in hands or feet on one side, or double vision.

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Face is twitching may be related to these serious diseases:

• Tetanus

  A life-threatening infection caused by a bacteria called Clostridium tetani. The bacteria releases toxins that affect the nervous system and cause muscles in the body to contract and "lock up". The bacteria are everywhere in the environment and enter the body through open wounds. Risk factors include being immunosuppressed, not being vaccinated against tetanus (or not keeping up with booster shots), and having open wounds or cuts.

• Hypocalcemia

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you have facial twitching or spasms?
• How long have you had twitching or spasms on your face?
• Have you experienced twitching or spasms on any part of your face before?
• Do facial spasms increase when tired?

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