Facialis

Facial nerve extends from the central nervous system (brain), emerges from the cavity of the skull in the temporal region, provides a branch to the ear it passes through the parotid gland and in front of the external auditory meatus constitutes five branches (temple, cheek, cheek, the lower jaw, the neck) with numerous branches.

The facial nerve is a motor nerve, meaning it sends impulses to the facial muscles, allowing them to cut, including a number of reflex contractions of facial muscles - sucking, blinking, ptarmic and other reflexes.

Causes of neuritis of the facial nerve

The inflammation of the facial nerve called neuritis Neuritis - nerve damage . Causes of neuritis of the facial nerve may be hypothermia, tissue swelling caused by different causes inflammation in the soft tissues of the face, ear, parotid gland, periodontal tissue, brain tumors, vascular disorders, injuries, etc.) directly to the injury of the facial nerve the impact of various chemical or bacterial (infectious diseases) at the facial nerve poisons, and so on.

How is the facial nerve neuritis

The most common neuritis of the facial nerve, called the common cold, which occurs when supercooling body, especially the head. Characteristically acute development of the disease for several hours or one day. Cooling is allergic factor in the trunk and causes vascular nerve disorders (spasm of blood vessels supplying the nerve, resulting in nerve tissue begins to suffer from a lack of nutrients and oxygen) and paralysis, i.e. complete loss of nerve function.

The main symptoms of neuritis of the facial nerve paralysis caused by facial muscles of the upper and lower half of the face on the side of the affected nerve. Even at rest, attention is drawn to the corresponding half of the mask-like face: eyes wide open, hardly blinking, forehead wrinkle, smoothed nasolabial folds, eyebrow and the corner of his mouth dropped. The patient can not arbitrarily change this mimicry (frowning, completely cover the eye and smile). Eating is also difficult, because food gets stuck and poorly retained in the mouth, there is a constant drooling. Speech becomes slurred.

Often joined sensory disorders (next to the facial nerve The facial nerve when a person loses symmetry   It extends intermediate nerve, which has both motor and sensory fibers): ear pain, unpleasant taste disturbances from normal sounds. Often joined dry eyes and the skin of the affected side of the face.

What diagnostic tests should be done with the neuritis of the facial nerve

Neuritis of the facial nerve has a typical symptoms, it is difficult to confuse with other diseases. But in order to properly treat neuritis, you must find out the cause of its occurrence. To do this, show signs of inflammation (laboratory tests), do the X-rays (with the exception of tumors and injuries), carry out inspections of upper respiratory tract and dental tissue to identify foci of infection. In addition, a study electroexcitability nerve that reveals how complete nerve degeneration occurred.

Treatment of neuritis of the facial nerve catarrhal nature

In the treatment of neuritis of the facial nerve catarrhal nature first try to remove the inflammation and swelling of the tissue. To do this, use a non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as Nice), diuretics, funds, dilates blood vessels and strengthens their walls. If there is pronounced movement disorders and pain, sometimes for quick removal appointed glucocorticoid hormones (eg, dexamethasone).

After will acute inflammatory conditions, using different drugs begin to restore the function of the facial nerve and the body's defenses (immune system). Assign also means promoting the resorption of inflammatory products, vitamins and minerals to restore the functioning of the nervous tissue.

From the first day of the disease to the medical treatment required to attach physiotherapy - first helps relieve inflammation and edema Prevention and treatment of edema - it is important to understand the root cause   (electrophoresis with medicines, UHF), and then the procedure, restoring nerve function, including massages and physiotherapy.

Neuritis of the facial nerve - is, of course, is not a fatal disease, but it is better not to run, otherwise distortion of the face may remain for a lifetime.

What supplies the trigeminal nerve

Trigeminal nerve originates in the cranial cavity and carries nerve impulses from the sensory receptors to the brain entity, ie, It provides a link person with the brain. Sensitive nerve root moves away from the brain and almost immediately divided into three branches, which come to the surface through natural openings in the bones of the skull and provide a sensitive person to touch, pain, heat and cold. I branch supplies the forehead, brow and eyes, II - cheeks, nose, upper lip, upper jaw and palate, III - chin, lower lip, lower jaw, tongue and head.

Trigeminal neuralgia and its causes

Neuralgia - is pain spreading along the nerve trunk (in this case the trigeminal) or its branches, sometimes accompanied by increased sensitivity in the area, which is innervated by the nerve.

The cause of trigeminal neuralgia can be a traumatic effect on the nerve trunk or root scar changes in tissues, tumors, swelling of tissue impact of filling materials. Trauma can be acute (eg, removing teeth) and chronic, with a significant role for a long gentle influences, particularly in combination with hypothermia.

The defeat of the trigeminal nerve may occur against a background of infections and inflammatory diseases (herpes, inflammatory processes in the area of ​​the tooth root, nose and paranasal sinuses).

The combination of all these causes diseases such as diabetes mellitus Diabetes - threatening and incurable disease , Alcoholism, metabolic B vitamins (which is common in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract) significantly increases the risk of trigeminal neuralgia. Trigeminal neuralgia is more common in middle or old age.

Symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia

Usually twinges start with areas that lie in the area of ​​innervation of the II and III branches (cheeks, nose, upper lip, upper jaw, palate, jaw, lower lip, lower jaw, tongue, Temple). But can begin with I and branches - an area of ​​the eyebrows, eyes, and forehead. Pain begins suddenly and have a sharp shooting (both current) character. Despite the fact that the affected sensitive part of the trigeminal nerve, during an attack involuntarily reduced facial muscles (spasm or tic pain).

Attacks can be triggered by chewing, touching various objects to certain (trigger or trigger) points on the face or the oral mucosa. Any movement of mimic and chewing muscles, touching the face intensifies the pain.

The attack usually lasts from a few seconds to a minute or two, often repeated, arising at any time of day for several weeks. Sometimes pain becomes prolonged (up to several days), then talk about the neurological status.

Treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

The symptoms can be stopped analgesic, soothing, and anticonvulsants, nerve blocks (the introduction of anesthetic such as Novocain Novocaine - why it is so popular in medicine? , To nerve). Good effect the appointment of an anticonvulsant drug finlepsin, but his long reception efficiency is reduced and requires a higher dose, which is fraught with various complications. Appointed as physiotherapy (electrophoresis of novocaine, diadynamic currents, UHF, ultrasound). Widely used electrical stimulation of affected branches of the trigeminal nerve, reflexology Reflexology - a policy of non-drug therapies . But very often these methods do not give the desired effect and then applied surgery.

All operations are conducted in trigeminal neuralgia can be divided into two types:

• destruction of sensitive trigeminal nerve root in the cranial cavity; at the same time through a natural hole in the skull to the trigeminal nerve is fed electrode and destroy the fibers responsible for pain attacks; nerve can be interrupted by any other means (e.g., laser); low-traumatic surgery, performed under local anesthesia;
• if the cause of neuralgia is a nerve compression of the surrounding blood vessels, then the big brain surgery microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve; This operation is more traumatic and is performed under general anesthesia.

Prognosis

The prognosis depends on the cause of the neuralgia Neuralgia - the scourge of the elderly   trigeminal nerve, the patient's age and general state of the organism. So, neuralgia, caused by injuries in young patients usually respond well to treatment and did not have a relapse.

Significantly worse than the forecast of trigeminal neuralgia, resulting in the elderly against the background of metabolic disorders - neuralgia are difficult to treat.

Prevention of trigeminal neuralgia is a timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinuses, teeth-jaw region, excluding hypothermia.