Facial Spasms and Numbness

Hi!  
A month or so ago, I started getting a twitch in my left eye, that would last for several hours.  After a couple of weeks that went away.  But last week I started to have muscle spasms in my face.  These would start with a "tic" in my Left ear and gradually the muscles on the Left side of my face would tighten and my jaw would clench.  These have gradually gotten stronger, although they only last a few seconds, and are accompanied by numbness.  Last night, I had a terrible headache that seemed to be more in my left temple, by the end of the evening the Left side of my top lip was numb, constantly.  I woke up this morning and the numbness had spread to part of my nose, cheek, and the roof of my mouth, all on the Left side. The left side of my face was also slightly swollen.

I went to my doctor, but since I don't have insurance we are going to try holding off on having a CT Scan.  She said she thinks it is just the trigeminal nerve, and could be attributed to my stress or a virus.  ( I have been having horrible mood swings, irritability, and tension.  We have been trying to find a med that works, but so far my depression gets a little better, and the mood swings are better for only a few weeks before coming back full force.)  She also wants me to get my TSH redone, since they have been gradually having to increase my meds due to my out of whack thyroid.  It had been normal last time they checked  months ago.  

A family friend that is an NP also suggested taking IBU every 4 hours to see if that would alleviate any possible pressure on the nerve.  I have done this, but so far no luck.  

I am freaking out about it.  It feels as if I went to a dentist who numbed the Left side of my mouth, but the numbness never went away.  

[mommahardin]

May be TMJ...check out some sites. I have researched this in depth as I have it....and it symptoms can be crazy.

[Quixotic1]

Hi, it sounds like you are having something that is well-known and called Hemifacial Spasm.  On top of that you sound like you are having some time of migraine.  Here are a couple of sites to look at:

http://www.hfs-assn.org/

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hemifacial_spasm/hemifacial_spasm.htm

And this last one is more technical medical, but you can also do a search using the terms hemifacial and spasm.

http://www.emedicine.com/NEURO/topic154.htm

Good luck, quix

[shell0718]

I have also suffered the same.   I have had migraines since I was 9, but last January I started having an "eye twitch" that is common with stress and fatigue.  One day in March I went to pick up my husband, I started feeling hot and like I was either going to vomit or pass out.  The hot flash lasted about 5 mins before the face started. It started with a stronge "eye twitch" and moved to the rest of my face.  It looked like my face looked like my jaw and skin were trying to pull off my face.  ER checked for seizures, CT scan, MRI, blood work.  All my neurologist can figure is I have a hemifacial spasm.  None of the medicine she has given for it has worked.  Next step is Botox "a strong muscle relaxer"  but it does leave my face numb after the hurting stops.  You're not alone.