Facial nerve, inflammation: symptoms, treatment. How to recognize neuritis of the facial nerve

Today, a lot of people are interested in this question: "Facial nerve - inflammation: symptoms, treatment." The fact is that this pathology delivers a lot of physical and moral discomfort. This article will help you understand why this problem arises, how to deal with it, how it develops, and what to do to avoid it.

General characteristics of the disease

So, the presented nerve is responsible for the movement of all the facial muscles: blinking, sneezing and others. Its beginning is in the temporal region of the brain. Under the influence of certain factors, the nerve can become inflamed and swell. In this case, there are different stages and forms of pathology (acute, chronic, purulent).

Characterized by inflammation of the trigeminal facial nerve, the treatment of which provides for a whole range of measures, in that the muscles cease to receive the necessary signals and cease to maintain a tone. The musculature is paralyzed, and it can be seen externally. Naturally, a sick person experiences rather unpleasant sensations. It should be noted that the problem appears and develops very quickly.

Causes of pathology

If you have an affected facial nerve, inflammation (symptoms, treatment, the causes of the appearance of the pathology you will find out later) must be rectified immediately. To begin with, we suggest that you consider the factors that trigger the development of the disease:

- Subcooling, which leads to a violation of blood circulation in tissues.

- Trauma of the nerve.

- Inflammatory or infectious processes in nearby soft tissues.

- Problems with teeth, ears or any pathology of the eyes.

- Hormonal failures that occur during pregnancy.

- Intoxication of the body.

- Benign or malignant tumors that can jam a nerve.

- Depressive state, constant stress and nervous overexertion.

- Systemic pathologies: diabetes mellitus, as well as other diseases that are caused by a metabolic disorder.

Symptomatic of the disease

If you are affected by the facial nerve, inflammation (symptoms, treatment is determined by the doctor) can give serious complications, except for those inconveniences that you already experience. Now we advise you to proceed to familiarize yourself with the signs of the presented sickness. Among them we can distinguish such:

1. Muscle paralysis. It is clearly visible, as it is characterized by the appearance of a kind of "mask" on one side of the face. At the same time the eye almost does not blink, a frozen, distorted smile appears, the eyebrow drops. Mimicry is almost completely absent.

2. Difficulty with eating and socializing.

3. Sharpening of hearing.

4. Pain syndrome.

5. Tingling sensations.

6. Numbness of the face, which may be accompanied by tics.

7. Lack of sleep, general weakness, irritability.

8. Difficulty in the implementation of oral hygiene procedures.

9. Tearing.

Such symptoms of inflammation of the trigeminal facial nerve are specific, so it is almost impossible to confuse this disease with others. However, it is not worthwhile to make a diagnosis, since there can always be an exception from the rules.

How correctly to define a pathology?

For this, it is necessary to appear to the neurologist and the therapist. Only a specialist through external examination, fixation of patient complaints and other methods of examination can certainly make an accurate diagnosis.

In order not to be mistaken, a specialist can apply magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Such a study allows you to determine the severity of the condition and the form of the disease. Useful can be and X-ray images, as well as laboratory studies.

Obligatory consultation of the dentist and ENT is obligatory. This will help to establish or disprove this or that cause of inflammation. In order to establish the degree of nerve damage, it is examined by electrocution. That is, you should find out his level of excitability.

Classification of the disease

We continue to consider the topic: "Facial nerve: inflammation, symptoms, treatment." The latter, incidentally, is produced depending on the signs that affected the development of pathology, factors and the type of disease - will help determine what therapy you need. So, we can distinguish such types of disease:

1. Primary. Most often this form appears due to hypothermia.

Secondary. To the occurrence of this type of inflammation can lead to infection or intoxication of the body.

3. Mono or polyneuritis. In this case, one nerve or all three inflamed.

4. Hunt's syndrome. It appears in the event that the patient has shingles found.

5. Melkerson-Rosenthal syndrome. In addition to inflammation of the facial nerve, it is characterized by other symptoms.

Traditional Therapy

If you have an inflammation of the trigeminal facial nerve, the treatment should be prescribed by a doctor. Recovery in most cases occurs within a month. However, to restore all the functions of the nerve and musculature will need much more time (up to six months).

To begin with, the doctor will prescribe medications to eliminate the symptoms of the pathology. For example, pain relievers: Drotaverine, Analgin. To eliminate the inflammatory process, such drugs as "Prednisolone", "Dexamethasone" are used. In order to reduce the swelling of the nerve, you should use the medication Torasemide. For the expansion of blood vessels and restoration of blood circulation, funds "Eufillin", "Vazotin" are used. Such a medicine, as "Proserin", will help stop and reverse the progress of the motor disorders of the face.

In almost all cases, drugs are taken orally. To accelerate the effect, you can make injections. However, an experienced specialist must deal with this and only with appropriate indications.

Physiotherapy and massage

These procedures are part of the disease control complex after the onset of conservative therapy. In this case, the treatment of the facial nerve is performed with the help of UHF, articulatory and therapeutic gymnastics, phytotherapy and acupuncture. That is, you will try to restore all the lost functions: pronunciation, chewing, movement of facial muscles and others. Useful is ozocerite and other types of nerve heating. It should be noted that the minimum course of treatment is 8 procedures.

Facial nerve massage is a very effective way of restoring muscle functionality. You can do it yourself, the main thing is to know how to do it. So, you need to put your hands on the face area in front of the auricle. Stretch the muscles in this order: in the healthy half - down, on the sick - up. Over the eyebrows movements are made in different directions. Such a complex treatment of the facial nerve will help you to recover quickly.

Features of the use of folk remedies

Non-traditional methods of eliminating pathology are a good addition to the main therapy. You can be helped by such means:

1. Fir oil. It should be applied to the affected area in small amounts. This tool helps to quickly remove inflammation.

2. If paralysis of the facial nerve is accompanied by severe pain, use lotions from flaxseeds. To do this, put a small amount of raw materials in gauze, cook it for a couple of minutes, cool slightly and attach to the affected area.

3. Solution mummy, which can be safely bought at the pharmacy, daily rub in the area of inflammation of the nerve. This agent also has a good anti-inflammatory effect. It should be noted that the mummy can be consumed inside. However, for this it is better to stir it with honey.

4. Spoon the yarrow with a glass of boiling water. Insist the mixture should not be more than an hour. Then it should be taken one large spoon up to 4 times a day.

5. For treatment use the leaves of geranium. It is desirable to thoroughly wash them before use. Next, the sheet is applied to the affected area, covered with cotton and a film and wrapped around a warm scarf. You need to do this twice a day.

Paralysis of the facial nerve in this way should be treated only after consulting a specialist.

Preventive measures

They assume a healthy lifestyle. Try to avoid head injuries and hypothermia. In addition, you need to carefully treat all dental diseases from an experienced doctor. In time, treat all pathologies of the ears, throat and nose.

Naturally, if the facial nerve, the photo of which you can see in the article, is still inflamed, then you need to immediately consult a doctor. The favorable prognosis for complete recovery and recovery is more than 75%. However, if the treatment of pathology is delayed, then these chances are sharply reduced.

Be healthy and take care.