” my eyelid has been twitching for weeks ” People having this complaint should read this article as I have tried to explain everything about it. An eyelid twitch is a medical condition called myokymia, it’s a repetitive, involuntary spasm of the muscle of eyelid. A twitch typically occurs in the upper lid, however it can occur in both the upper and lower lid together too.
For most population , these spasms are very mild and feel like a gentle tug on the eyelid. Some people can experience such a strong spasm that is strong enough to force both eyelids to close completely this is a different thing which is called blepharospasm. Spasms last few seconds or for a minute or two mostly but the episodes of eyelid twitching are very unpredictable. The twitch can occur off and on for few days.
Then, a person may not experience any twitching for weeks or for months.
The twitches are most of the time painless and harmless, however they can be bothersome . Typically these spasms resolve on their own without the need for any specific treatment.
There are few rare cases where eyelid spasms can be an early warning sign of a chronic movement disorder, in particular when the spasms are accompanied by other facial twitches or any uncontrollable movements.
what you will read next :
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- What are the causes for my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
- What are the symptoms of my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
- When to see a doctor for my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
- What is the treatment for my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
- How is my eyelid has been twitching for weeks diagnosed?
- How to prevent if my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
- Take away
What are the causes for my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
Eyelid twitches can occur without any identifiable cause. As they’re rarely a sign of a serious problem, the cause isn’t usually investigated further in most cases.
Nevertheless, eyelid twitches can be caused or made worse by following:
- Eye irritation
- Eyelid strain
- Fatigue
- Lack of sleep
- physical exertion
- medication side effects
- stress
- use of alcohol, tobacco,
- Excess caffeine
- benign essential blepharospasm : If the spasms last for long period of times that is become chronic, one may have what’s known as “benign essential blepharospasm,” it’s the name for chronic and uncontrollable blinking. This condition usually affects both eyes not one, the cause of this condition is not known, however these may make spasms worse:
- Blepharitis, or inflammation of the eyelid
- Conjunctivitis
- Dry eyes
- Environmental irritants, like wind, bright lights, sun, or air pollution
- Fatigue
- Light sensitivity
- Stress
- Too much alcohol
- Excess caffeine
- Smoking
To mention this Benign essential blepharospasm is more common in females than in males. The condition eventually worsens over time, and it will cause following:
- Blurry vision
- Increased sensitivity to the light
- Facial spasms
Not so often , eyelid spasms are a symptom of a more serious brain disease or nerve disorder. When eyelid twitches are due to these more serious conditions, there are always accompanied by other symptoms. So few Brain and nerve disorders which can cause eyelid twitches include following:
- Bell’s palsy
It’s a condition which causes one side of the face to droop downward.
- Dystonia
This causes unexpected muscle spasms and the affected body parts to twist or contort.
- Cervical dystonia
This causes the neck to randomly spasm and the head to twist in an uncomfortable position.
- Multiple sclerosis
It’s a disease of the central nervous system which causes cognitive and movement problems, plus fatigue
- Parkinson’s disease
This can lead to trembling limbs, muscle stiffness, balance issues and difficulty speaking.
- Tourette syndrome
It’s characterized by involuntary movement and tics that are vertical.
- Corneal scratches
If these are not diagnosed can also cause eyelid twitches.
What are the symptoms of my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
Eyelid twitches vary a bit in severity and frequency from person to person. Some people might have eyelid twitches every few seconds while other people might have them less often like few times a week or so . Sometimes eye twitches may last for some days or even longer and then go away for a sometime. In few people, eye twitches happen more often and lasts much longer over time. In some others, symptoms go away and never come back. Typically only the upper lid twitching happens . Most probably both of the eyes will twitch, but what happens sometimes only one eye shows the symptoms. The eyelid might shut partly, or what happens is it can close all the way.
Symptoms of the eye twitching mostly go away when the person is sleeping or concentrating on some difficult task. Many people have found this that certain tasks may make their eye twitching go away briefly. These can be activities like talking, singing, or touching another part of the body or so. An eye twitch is an involuntary action which is an abnormal blinking of the eyelid. However to keep in mind if eye twitching is frequent, it can affect persons vision
When to see a doctor for my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
Eyelid twitches as mentioned above are rarely serious enough to need any emergency medical treatment. But to mention chronic eyelid spasms tend to be a symptom of a more serious brain or nervous system disorder which needs treatment.
- One may need to see the doctor if person is having chronic eyelid spasms .
- One may need to see the doctor if person is having red, swollen, eye or has an unusual discharge from the eye with a twitch.
- One may need to see the doctor if upper eyelid is drooping along with twitches.
- One may need to see the doctor if eyelid completely closes each time the eyelids twitch.
- One may need to see the doctor if person is having twitching for several weeks.
- One may need to see the doctor if twitching begins to affect other parts of the face.
- Not to mention If person thinks he has an eye injury, he should see the optometrist or ophthalmologist immediately as the Corneal scratches can cause permanent eye
What is the treatment for my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
Most eyelid twitches go away without treatment in a few days or even in weeks as it’s nothing serious most times. However If they don’t go away, then one should try to eliminate or decrease potential causes. As the most common causes of eyelid twitching are stress, fatigue, and caffeine these three. To ease eye twitching, one might want to try these :
- Drink less caffeine.
- Get adequate sleep as it’s necessary for proper functioning.
- Keep the eye surfaces lubricated with over-the-counter eye drops.
- Apply a warm compress to the eyes when the twitch begins.
- Botulinum toxin injections are sometimes used to treat the condition called benign essential blepharospasm. Botox have this capability to ease severe spasms for few months. But , as the effects of the injection wear off, further injections may be needed
- Surgery is a resort which is used to remove some of the muscles and nerves in the eyelids this can also treat more severe cases of benign essential blepharospasm.
How is my eyelid has been twitching for weeks diagnosed?
The healthcare provider or the country consultant will ask about the health history and do a physical exam. This often includes a complete nervous system and eye examination. Mostly , a healthcare provider who specializes in the eyes called ophthalmologist will make the exact diagnosis. If the doctor rules out all other causes of eye twitch, they may diagnose the person with benign essential blepharospasm or hemifacial spasm. People usually won’t need any other testing . Only in few special cases, the provider might order imaging of the brain with a CT scan or sometimes an MRI which can rule out other medical causes of eye twitching.
How to prevent if my eyelid has been twitching for weeks?
- If the eyelid twitches are happening more frequently, it’s better to keep a journal and note when they occur.
- Note the amount of intake of caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol, as well as note the level of stress.
- Also note the amount of sleep you are getting in the periods leading up to and during the eyelid twitch. If one notices that more spasms happen when one is not getting enough sleep, it’s better try to go to bed 30 minutes to an hour earlier to help ease the strain on the eyelids and reduce your twitches.
Take away
Eyelid twitching can be caused by number if reasons. The treatment which works and the outlook also varies depending on the each person. Twitches that are related to stress, lack of sleep, and other lifestyle factors have the best outlook as they can be prevented by life style modification.