Successful treatment of hemifacial spasm accompanying neck and shoulder pain: a case report

Abstract

A 64-year-old female patient presented with a 4-month history of exaggerated spasms in her right eye-lid. Her spasms had gradually spread to the oral angle. She was referred to our department after the effective carbamazepine therapy had to be discontinued owing to leucopenia. Besides right facial spasms, ipsilateral tenderness in the cervical paravertebral area was noted. She was diagnosed with hemifacial spasm and cervical facet pain. Oral clonazepam was administered, followed by cervical facet block treatment, which was effective in providing relief from both, the hemifacial spasm and the facet pain. This experience suggests that the alleviation of pain-related stress might indirectly improve hemifacial spasm.