This has certainly happened to you at least once: one of your eyelids starts to tremble for no apparent reason, and it lasts without you being able to remedy it. What are the causes of these uncontrolled movements? Are there ways to mitigate these unwanted movements or prevent them from coming back? Doctors on Healthlinerx answer you.
What is an eyelid tremor?
Having the eyelid trembling or the impression that the eye is jumping is a fairly common phenomenon and which, in the vast majority of cases, turns out to be benign. This is called fasciculation: in nearly 90% of cases, it results from an involuntary and irregular contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle, which is used to close and open the eye. These involuntary contractions would be linked to the autonomic excitation of the end of the nerves directly connected to this muscle. But fasciculation can also affect other parts of the body, such as the calf or the corner of the lips.
Why can an eyelid tremble?
These eye palpitations can be explained in different ways.
Tiredness
Fatigue is usually the first possible explanation for twitching eyelids. Personal or professional concerns, poor quality sleep or too much screen time : all these factors can influence your state of fatigue and put a strain on your nerves.
Eye strain is often the result of overstraining the eyes, it can also cause eyelid twitching. It may be time to rest your eyes if you notice:
- a decrease in your visual acuity;
- blurred vision;
- a sensation of glare;
- that your eyes are irritated and red ;
- a burning or stinging sensation in the eyes;
- headaches . _
The stress
Heart palpitations, stomach aches, nausea, but also left and/or right eye trembling: these symptoms can all indicate a state of stress . Indeed, when you are stressed, your muscles contract and your nerves are sensitized. To best manage your stress, try to establish a sleep routine and get at least 8 hours of sleep. You can also adapt your eating habits and reduce your coffee consumption, as well as practice regular physical activity.
A lack
A nutritional deficiency can also cause fasciculations. Hypomagnesemia, or magnesium deficiency, is often blamed. Magnesium is an important trace element that ensures proper communication between muscles and nerves. If you don’t get enough, the nerves can send the wrong signals to the muscles, which can result in tremors or muscle cramps , especially in the legs. If you think you are suffering from a magnesium deficiency, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor, or to a doctor on Livi if he is not available: a simple blood test is enough to detect a possible magnesium deficiency. magnesium.
A sickness
In some cases, a twitching eyelid may be a symptom of another condition:
- arterial hypertension : it can cause vision problems and retinal pathologies, which can first appear as tremors of the eyelids;
- conjunctivitis : itching, redness, tearing but also twitching of the eye are all signs suggestive of this ocular inflammation ;
- the presence of a foreign body in the eye (dust, grain of sand…): the blinking of the eyelid is then a reflex of the eye which tries to evacuate it.
More rarely, the tremor can be caused by an infection, neurological disorder , multiple sclerosis, or brain tumor. If the appearance of the spasms coincides with that of the signs of paralysis, language disorders or visual disturbances, you must consult a doctor urgently : these may be warning signs of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) .
What to do in case of eyelid tremor?
In order to soothe the tremors of your eyelid which can be annoying, several solutions are available to you:
- the heat relaxes the muscles: use a cotton pad or a small towel soaked in hot water and leave on the eyelid for five to ten minutes, this will calm the tremors;
- a gentle massage of the affected eyelid can also alleviate the symptoms;
- extra magnesium: peanuts, hazelnuts, spinach, sunflower seeds, millet, rice, beans, oatmeal and magnesium-enriched mineral waters can give you the extra boost you need to fight against your deficiency. If this is not enough, your attending physician may also prescribe magnesium supplements.
Should I be worried in case of palpitations of the eye?
Generally, if eyelid tremors are episodic and do not last over time, there is no need to worry. On the other hand, if the tremors persist despite the implementation of the measures mentioned above or if your eyelid has been shaking for several days without interruption, the doctors on Healthlinerx recommend that you consult your doctor in order to rule out any risk of serious illness and take care of any vision problems.
