Horner's syndrome is only a sign of other disorders

There are syndromes that are familiar even to a person far from medicine. For example, almost everything was heard about Asperger's syndrome . But Horner's syndrome is not so often discussed in the press. Although the symptom complex this quite strongly prevents live to those who are "not lucky" to get sick. However, there are few such people, this condition is very rare.

Horner's syndrome is associated with impaired functioning of the sympathetic nerves responsible for the condition of the face and eyes. It is caused by any problems in the nervous tissue that connects the peripheral nerves that go to the eyes and face, with the center - the hypothalamus. The sympathetic nerves themselves do not transmit the control signal from the center, but they support the tissues and organs "in working order", so if the functioning of these nerves does not work properly, the organs do not work. The degree of defeat can be different.

When does Horner's syndrome occur?

First, when an injury occurs in any of the arteries that supply the brain with oxygen. For example, the carotid artery.

Secondly, if the nerves are damaged in such an education as the brachial plexus.

Third, often Horner's syndrome manifests simultaneously with migraines.

Fourthly, it happens as a consequence of a stroke or a tumor in the brain stem.

Fifth, sometimes the syndrome occurs simultaneously with a tumor in the tip of the lung.

Sixth, the disease is possible after a viral infection, as well as as a result of an autoimmune process, in which the body destroys its own cells.

Seventh, he is congenital, in this case it is combined with the lack of coloring of the iris of the child.

Symptoms of the disease are as follows:

1. Reduction of sweating on the affected area of the face, while local thermoregulation is disrupted;
2. The eyelid descends and does not rise arbitrarily (this condition is also called ptosis);
3. Violation of the position of the eyeball;
4. Swelling of the lower eyelid;
5. The pupil becomes small and narrowed.

Of course, according to the pupil and eyelid, it can be assumed that the patient has Bernard-Horner syndrome. However, as a rule, a good doctor does not confine himself to ascertaining the presence of a pair of symptoms. After all, the defeat of the sympathetic nervous system can be much more extensive than with the syndrome under consideration. Probably, other zones on a body are amazed, therefore in such cases the full neurologic inspection is spent. Also, the study of pupillary reactions is carried out, while investigating how the relative and absolute sizes of the pupil change when exposed to bright light and darkness. With Gorner's syndrome, the pupil in the dark expands much more slowly than normal. And even substances that contribute to the dilatation of the pupil are unable to make the reactions correct.

Blood tests, angiographic procedures (contrast substance allows to see the condition of the cerebral arteries), fluorography, as well as MRI scan of the brain, puncture of the cerebrospinal fluid at the level of the lumbar vertebrae are also performed.

So, Horner's syndrome is established. Treatment can be different, because the choice of a particular method depends on the cause that triggered the disease, and they can be very different. The forecast can be good, or not very, depending on whether the cause is correctly established in a particular case. In Horner's syndrome there are no complications, but the deterioration of the state of health is possible because of the disease that provoked the syndrome.

Of course, in not all cases, a complete cure is possible, if the nervous tissue has been damaged by viruses, one can only take medications that improve blood circulation in the brain and hope for the best. If a tumor was detected, it should be removed as soon as possible. In the case of malignant degeneration, classical irradiation is also performed.

It's not Horner's syndrome itself that is dangerous, but the disease that is behind it, so you should contact a qualified ophthalmologist at the first manifestations of these symptoms. Perhaps, it will be possible to cope at an early stage with the disease.