Treatment

Treatment for hemifacial spasm may include:

• Botulinum injections. Your doctor may inject botulinum toxin (Botox) into the affected muscles, which temporarily paralyzes those muscles. This treatment is very effective in relieving symptoms in most people. You'll need additional treatments every few months.
• Other medications. Medications, including anticonvulsant drugs, can relieve hemifacial spasm in some people.

• Surgery. There are several types of surgery that can help relieve hemifacial spasm. Decompression surgery involves making an opening in your skull and opening the covering of your brain (dura) to expose the facial nerve as it leaves the brainstem.

  Your surgeon locates the blood vessel pressing on or irritating the facial nerve and puts a spongelike material between the nerve and blood vessel, removing the pressure on the nerve. This surgery often can relieve hemifacial spasm.

  Other procedures include destroying parts of the facial nerve via surgery and radiofrequency thermocoagulation, which uses heat and radio waves.