Facial Tics

Question:

Over the last six months or so, I have experienced multiple facial tics. First, it was my left eye that would twitch, at least once a week. Now, it happens almost daily and my upper lip has started twitching as well. I don't have a family history of tics, but I have an uncle with MS, and my mother has fibromyalgia. Should I seek medical advice, and if so, from whom? What could cause this other than stress?

Answer:

Twitching of facial muscles, especially of the eyelids, is extremely common and is most often related to fatigue and stress. The twitching can occur for just a few days, or it can persist for many weeks to months. Since your symptoms are occurring more frequently and have been present for months, you should now contact your primary health care professional to review your situation.

You mention that one family member has multiple sclerosis and another has fibromyalgia. Multiple sclerosis can cause a wide variety of symptoms, but I think that it is highly unlikely that MS would present with facial twitching without any other problems. Fibromyalgia can be associated with significant body pain and difficulty sleeping, resulting in fatigue. But there is no direct association of fibromyalgia and twitching or tics.

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Source: from the Harvard Health Publications Family Health Guide, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved.

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