How to differentiate facial paralysis from facial muscle twitching
Disease description:
An elderly family member has been diagnosed with hemifacial spasm. I've only heard of facial paralysis before—could you please explain how to differentiate between facial paralysis and hemifacial spasm?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Bai Hongmei
Paralysis is caused by damage to the facial nerve due to various reasons. Due to nerve injury, facial muscles lose their motor function and neural innervation. The exact cause of facial muscle spasms is not entirely clear, but they are mostly related to facial nerve damage. Abnormalities in facial muscles or abnormal electrical discharges lead to irregular and involuntary twitching of the facial muscles, resulting in muscle spasms.
