Upper Lip Twitching

As said, many people across the world experience sudden or rapid involuntary muscle contractions (somewhat like spasms) of particular muscles. These are known as muscle twitches, and could occur in any part of the body, including the upper lip and other parts of the face.

Fortunately, although the twitches may seem intimidating, most of them are harmless and temporary. But some people do get diagnosed with certain underlying medical problems that are responsible for causing such twitches; most of them being neurological.

But the good news is, most of these problems can be treated with some changes in lifestyle, and proper medical treatment.

If you are suffering from a viral infection such as cold sores or genital herpes, and experiencing twitching in your lips at the same time, and other areas of your face, especially on one side, then you may have what is known as Bell's palsy. It is regarded as a temporary episode of paralysis that affects one side of the face.

It occurs when the branch of nerves of the face becomes swollen and inflamed. And this is usually triggered by the herpes simplex virus that causes the two infections mentioned before. The virus that causes chickenpox, and the one that is responsible for mononucleosis, may also contribute to the onset of this condition.

The symptoms may begin with lower or upper lip twitching, followed by pain, paralysis of one side of the face, and reduced sense of taste. The affected side of the face may feel stiff, droop, and it becomes difficult for the eye to close.

Speaking of some severe causes of lip twitching, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) comes into the discussion. It is a neurological disorder that weakness the muscles, leading to disability, and eventually death. Causes behind the condition could be mutation in the gene, autoimmune disorder, imbalance in body chemicals, and problems with protein regulation.

Mostly, this incurable condition causes muscle twitching in the limbs, but it may also be associated with facial twitching. As the condition progresses, it makes it difficult for the person to walk, use his hands to hold something, speak properly, and causes muscles cramps in the limbs, and even the tongue.

Chewing, swallowing, speaking, and even breathing becomes difficult to perform. Coming to another cause we have what we know as hemifacial spasm (HFS). It is a nervous system disorder that affects a certain branch of nerves, and leads to facial spasm.

Usually the spasm originates around the eye, and may spread to an entire half of the face. And lip twitching could be one of the involuntary facial movements caused by this medical problem. Also know that, HFS is typically a diagnosed cause for persistent episodes of twitches in the lips.

The condition could be a result of a blood vessel pressing against a facial nerve, a facial nerve injury, or a tumor.

Hypoparathyroidism refers to the low production of hormone (parathormone) by the parathyroid gland. This rare condition creates an imbalance in the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body; it basically lowers calcium, and increases the amount of phosphorous.

Causes include removal or damage to the parathyroid glands, heredity, autoimmune disorders, radiation, or low levels of magnesium in the body. Among the symptoms exhibited by this disorder are muscle spasms of the mouth which includes the lips, and muscles of the throat, and the limbs.

Other causes may include:
1. Stress
2. Excess intake of caffeine
3. Fatigue
4. Anxiety disorders
5. Strong emotions
6. Certain over-the-counter stimulants
7. Alcohol abuse or alcohol withdrawal
8. Smoking
9. Tremors caused by using certain drugs

To conclude, treatment involves detecting what is causing the muscle twitches in the lip. Once the underlying cause is determined and treated, the twitching gradually reduces, and disappears. For mild causes such as stress, caffeine intake, etc. certain lifestyle changes are helpful enough.

However, for the severe causes that we have discussed, long-term medical treatment is required to reduce the twitching, and manage other symptoms and complications.