Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Horner's Syndrome

Cases of Horner's syndrome are not very common in modern medical practice. The disease is associated with damage to the nerve fibers of the sympathetic system. It is worth considering that quite often this pathology occurs against the backdrop of other, extremely dangerous diseases. That's why when you have the first symptoms you should ask for help.

Horner's Syndrome: Causes

In some cases, such a disease is congenital. Sometimes nerve fibers are damaged during medical intervention or because of an injury. And it is worth noting that most often the disease has a benign course. On the other hand, the development of Horner's syndrome may indicate the presence of severe pathologies.

Sometimes, for one reason or another, the sympathetic chain is squeezed in the thoracic or cervical region, which, of course, affects the functioning of the nerves. In some cases, the syndrome occurs against the background of cluster headaches or inflammation of the middle ear.

The compression and damage of nerve fibers can be caused by the growth of the tumor, in particular, carcinomas of the apex of the lung or thyroid gland. Sometimes the disease appears against a background of multiple sclerosis, aneurysm or aortic dissection.

That is why at the very first signs of Horner's syndrome it is necessary to conduct a full examination of the body. Treatment of the disease itself is possible only if its primary cause is eliminated.

Horner's syndrome: symptoms

As a rule, the main signs of the disease appear on the face, so to notice them is not so difficult. Due to damage to nerve fibers, innervation is violated, and, consequently, the work of these or other tissues.

It is interesting that one side is damaged mainly, which makes the disease even more noticeable. In particular, one of the most common symptoms is ptosis, caused by a violation of the innervation of the tarsal muscle - one upper eyelid of the patient is constantly omitted. By the way, sometimes it happens and vice versa - the lower eyelid rises.

In addition, in patients with this diagnosis, miosis is often observed, as a result of which one pupil is narrowed all the time. In some cases, the pupil does not react to light at all. Symptoms can also be attributed to the sinking of the eyeball. If the disease appeared in childhood, the child has heterochromia, in which the irises of the eyes have different colors.

Sometimes the skin of one half of the face swells and turns red. In some cases, normal processes of sweat secretion are disrupted.

Diagnosis and treatment of Horner's Syndrome

A number of tests are used to diagnose the disease. For example, drops of cocaine hypochloride are used which, under normal body conditions, causes a sharp dilatation of the pupil - if the sympathetic system fails, no reaction is observed. As for the treatment, it is reduced to a complete examination of the body and the elimination of the causes of the syndrome. In some cases, such a disease passes by itself. Sometimes the method of myoneurostimulation is used, which consists in acting on the affected nerve or the immobilized muscle of certain discharges of electric current.