The facial nerve - a nerve that controls the facial muscles, allowing us to smile, frown, and so on. Damage to the facial nerve can cause a physiological defect that would have on the person as a psychological and social consequences.

Development of the facial nerve starts in the third week of fetal life. The facial nerve - from the seventh cranial nerve. The man has two facial nerve, located on both sides of the face. Together with the auditory nerve (the eighth cranial nerve of), he runs around the middle ear structures. Then the facial nerve exits through stylomastoid hole and passes through the parotid gland. In the parotid gland, it is divided into two branches, which provide the motor function of many muscles and glands of the head and neck.

Symptoms of damage to the facial nerve

Damage to the facial nerve can cause paralysis of the facial muscles, weakness or involuntary movements of facial muscles, dry eyes or mouth, a change in ability to taste. However, these symptoms are not necessarily caused by damage to the facial nerve; you need a medical examination to determine their cause.

What can cause damage to the facial nerve?

Damage to the facial nerve can have many causes, such as:

• Injuries - including birth trauma Birth injuries - than they threaten your child? , Basal skull fracture, damage to persons, the middle ear, the effects of surgery;
• Diseases of the nervous system, such as opercular syndrome and Millard-Gubler;
• Ear infections or facial nerve;
• Metabolic disorders, such as diabetes Diabetes - threatening and incurable disease   or pregnancy;
• Tumors: acoustic neuroma, schwannoma, cholesteatoma, tumors of the parotid gland, glomus tumor;
• Toxins, such as the abuse of alcohol or carbon monoxide poisoning;
• Bell's palsy - a disorder that is also called idiopathic facial nerve palsy.

Diagnostics

In the diagnosis of disorders affecting the facial nerve, using a variety of methods.

Hearing Test conducted that assess the state of the auditory nerve and the branches of the facial nerve. Also, check the patient's ability to maintain balance and to taste. Violations of tearing and / or salivation may indicate the severity and location of damage to the facial nerve.

Medical imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, can detect infections, tumors, fractures in the bones, and other violations.

Stimulation of the nerve electric current can be used to determine the stage of the disease.

  Sleep apnea Dreams: how to understand our dreams   - A disease characterized by often repeated partial or complete blockage of the upper airway during sleep. Perhaps you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea if you snore loudly and feel tired even after a long sleep.

There are two main types of sleep apnea:

• obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of apnea occurs when throat muscles relaxing;
• Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain does not send the muscles of the upper respiratory tract right signals.

In addition, some people have complex sleep apnea is observed, combining both forms of the disease.

If you think you have sleep apnea, see your doctor. Treatment apnea necessary to avoid heart disease and other complications.

Symptoms of sleep apnea

Signs and symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apnea overlap, which sometimes makes it difficult to determine the type of apnea. The most common signs and symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apnea include:

• excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day (hypersomnia);
• dry mouth or sore throat upon awakening;
• Headaches in the morning;
• deterioration in mental abilities, such as inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, or irritability Irritability - you try to control my temper ;
• loud snoring (especially with obstructive sleep apnea);
• sleep apnea;
• excessive sweating during sleep;
• rude awakening with the feeling of suffocation or lack of air (with central sleep apnea);
• inability to sleep or have a long sleep (insomnia).

When you need to see a doctor

Consult your doctor if you or your partner notice the following:

• snoring so loud that disturbs sleep and wakes you and partner;
• waking feel an acute shortage of air;
• breathing during sleep is disturbed, it is intermittent;
• during the day you feel excessive drowsiness and falling asleep on the move - when you work, watch TV or even driving a car.

Many people do not consider it a serious snoring problem, moreover, is not always accompanied by snoring sleep apnea. However, loud snoring, especially alternating periods of silence - a reason to see a doctor. Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia) may be a symptom of other disorders, such as narcolepsy.

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relaxing. During sleep, the throat muscles relax, making the airways more prone to collapse. Negative air pressure generated by the light in the narrowed airways may cause them to collapse. When closed airway breathing does not occur and the level of oxygen drops. In order to start breathing again, you need a short time to wake up. As a rule, this awakening is so short that in the morning you about it not even remember.

Awakening can be sudden and accompanied by a feeling of lack of air that passes quickly (to restore breathing normally takes one or two deep breaths). Normally, breathing is restored with the characteristic snorting, choking, snorting or jerky movements of the body. Attacks of obstructive sleep apnea may be repeated five to thirty or more times an hour throughout the night. These episodes have a negative impact on the quality of sleep, so you feel excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue. In addition, the apnea significantly reduce the oxygen supply to the vital organs and cause heart rhythm disturbances.

People suffering from obstructive sleep apnea may not be aware that their sleep was interrupted, and think fast asleep all night.

Causes of central sleep apnea

Central sleep apnea is much rarer. This disorder occurs when the head brain is not able to transmit signals to the muscles that control breathing. When central sleep apnea may rude awakening with shortness of breath, insomnia and other sleep disorders. As with obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and observed unusual sleepiness during the day. The most common causes of central sleep apnea are heart failure Heart failure - when the heart is unable to cope with the work   and stroke Stroke - a serious brain injury   (rarely). People suffering from central sleep apnea, often remember that wake up at night, unlike patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Reasons for complex sleep apnea

Complex sleep apnea is characterized by obstruction of the upper respiratory tract (as in obstructive sleep apnea), as well as violation of the respiratory rhythm and periodic cessation of breathing.