Eyebrow twitching - is that dangerous?

Introduction - how dangerous is it?

If an eyebrow twitches involuntarily, there can be different reasons. In most cases, however, this is completely harmless and disappears on its own. Possible triggers can be nervousness, stress, overstimulation or lack of sleep.

Another cause of the twitching of the eyebrows can be a lack of minerals, specifically a magnesium deficiency. These nervous jerks also occur in other parts of the body, but we often don't notice them there. However, because the skin on the face is thin and the muscles are so close under the skin, these muscle twitches are more easily felt there. Very rarely, disturbances in the course of the cranial nerves can also cause such twitching.

The cause

There are various, mostly harmless causes that can cause eyebrows to twitch.

For example, involuntary nerve potential discharges, which are also known as fasciculations. These are very rapid contractions of muscle bundles. These fasciculations are usually not pathological, but unfortunately cannot be influenced. These involuntary muscle twitches can also affect the eye itself. Sometimes it can even take days to weeks for the twitching to stop.

Fasciculations are usually triggered by stress or fatigue. If the eyebrow twitching occurs over a longer period of time or increases in intensity over time, it should be clarified by a doctor to rule out a nervous disease or similar to be sure. The best thing to do is to consult a neurologist (neurologist).

The eyelids are affected more often than the eyebrows. An eyebrow twitch can also be a tic disorder. A distinction is made between motor and vocal tic disorders. Unfortunately, it is still relatively unknown what the causes of a tic disorder are. Often a motor tic disorder is observed to be a squint of the eyes, but twitching of the eyebrows can also reflect a tic disorder.

In addition to stress / fatigue and a tic disorder, a changed mineral balance is also in the foreground.A magnesium deficiency plays a major role here. A deficiency can lead to various symptoms. These include above all leg cramps, palpitations, falling asleep of the hands and feet, as well as the fasciculations already mentioned.

Neurological causes are also possible causes. For example, nerve compression or a brain disease. Our facial muscles are supplied by the facial nerves. If there is a constriction in the course of the nerve, which can lead to increased discharges of the nerve, these discharges can manifest themselves in a twitching of the eyebrows. This clinical picture is called hemispasmus facialis.

If the eyebrow twitching occurs over a long period of time or repeatedly or is accompanied by other symptoms, the doctor should clarify whether it is not a disorder of the brain. Usually, however, a neurological cause of eyebrow twitching is very rare.

You might also be interested in these articles:

• What can be causing eye twitching?
• The twitching of the face

The magnesium deficiency as the cause

A lack of magnesium can be responsible for eyebrow twitching. The lack of magnesium has a negative impact on the communication between the individual nerve and muscle fibers, which can lead to twitching of the eyebrows.

Minerals such as magnesium stabilize the cell and thus ensure that not every impulse is passed on to the cell. We normally only react in this way to signals above a certain level of stimulus. But if there is a magnesium deficiency, the membrane becomes more permeable. As a result, nerve cells and neuromuscular fibers are more easily excitable and uncontrolled twitching can occur.

A deficiency in magnesium can be due to insufficient intake, for example from an unbalanced diet or as a result of diarrhea. On the other hand, a magnesium deficiency can also be caused by increased excretion. This can be the case during vigorous physical exercise, pregnancy or during stressful phases in life.
Other triggers for low magnesium levels can be diseases such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, celiac disease or high alcohol consumption. As a preventive measure for a magnesium deficiency, whole grains, seeds and legumes can be eaten more often.

Learn more about: Recognize the symptoms of magnesium deficiency.

The stress as the cause

Stress can also cause eyebrow twitches. Long work in front of computers and tiredness can make these twitches worse. Stress can also trigger neck tension, which leads to poor posture. The bad posture can have a negative effect and cause strain or tension on the facial muscles, which triggers the twitching.

In order to treat the twitches successfully, this vicious circle should be broken. Various relaxation methods and physical activity (e.g. endurance sports or yoga) are recommended for this. In addition, you should sleep long enough so that the body has enough time to regenerate.

How can you reduce stress? Read more about this.

The accompanying symptoms

The headache

The eyebrow twitch can also be accompanied by a headache. These are usually one-sided and can radiate into the eye or the upper jaw, for example. One possible cause for this is stress, which can lead to tension and hardening of the muscles in the face and neck area or to the crunch of the temporomandibular joint at night.

Over a longer period of time, this state of tension can cause headaches. You can try to relax the tense muscles with massage or warmth. Additional relaxation exercises can also be helpful. If there is no relief, a doctor should clarify the headache.

The muscles involved

The muscle that is permanently active during the eyebrow twitch is the orbicularis oculi muscle. It is supplied by the facial nerve. In addition to the movements of the eyebrows, it is also responsible for opening and closing the eyelids.

The diagnosis

If a doctor / neurologist is visited due to the twitching of the eyebrows, the patient is questioned (anamnesis) at the beginning. The doctor tries to ask whether there are any accompanying symptoms and under what conditions the twitching occurs.

The interview is often followed by a blood test to check whether there is a possible magnesium deficiency. If a serious cause cannot be ruled out by these measures, radiological imaging as part of a magnetic resonance tomography can follow in order to rule out the possibility of the nerve being damaged / compressed in any way.

What to do when you twitch your eyebrows

Unfortunately, there is usually not much that can be done about the twitching of the eyebrows, but you have to wait for it to stop. This is usually the case very quickly. In some patients, however, it takes several days to weeks, which is of course very uncomfortable.

Since an eyebrow twitch is often triggered by increased psychological stress or stress, it is advisable to reduce the stress if possible or to use relaxation methods such as autogenic training. Sometimes the patient is also recommended to undergo psychotherapy. If the tic disorder is diagnosed, behavior therapy is often developed and used in conjunction with therapists.

If you have a magnesium deficiency, you should change your diet. Cocoa, fruit and vegetables in particular contain magnesium and are suitable for replenishing the magnesium balance. If the magnesium-rich diet does not help, magnesium can also be supplied in the form of high-dose preparations from the pharmacy.

If the cause is found to be neurological, an injection of botulinum toxin can also be used, which partially paralyzes the facial nerve and prevents the twitching. If a hemispasm is the underlying cause, surgery must be performed.

Find out more about the topic here: Botox.

Can that be a tic too?

A tic disorder refers to involuntary motor movements or vocal expressions. They can be suppressed to a certain extent. Typical motor tic disorders include frowning and twitching around the eyes.

If the eyebrows twitch repeatedly at irregular intervals, this indicates a tic disorder. In this case, one should consult a doctor so that the diagnosis can be confirmed. Tic disorders can be treated with neuroleptics or behavioral therapy.

Find out more about the topic here: Tics.

Can this be a reference to MS?

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that leads to the destruction of the myelin sheaths of nerve cells. Different areas of the brain can be irreversibly damaged in this way. Depending on the location of the damage, different symptoms can result.
A classic symptom of MS is inflammation of the optic nerve (known as retrobulbar neuritis). The inflammation can be accompanied by twitching in the area of ​​the eye. But abnormal sensations or motor disorders can also appear as the first symptom of MS.

If the eyebrows twitch, which worsens as the disease progresses and is accompanied by visual disturbances, a doctor should be consulted. This should initiate further examinations to rule out MS. However, if the eyebrow twitching occurs only occasionally and there are no other symptoms, then there is nothing to worry about.

Further information on this topic can be found at: Multiple sclerosis.

Eyebrow twitches in pregnancy

Jerks of the eyebrows or twitches in general occur more frequently during pregnancy. This is due to the increased consumption of minerals and vitamins during pregnancy. There may be a magnesium deficiency, which plays an important role in the contraction of muscle cells. A deficiency favors the development of twitching.

In addition, pregnancy is a burden for the body. It can cause both stress and fatigue. These factors can make existing twitches worse. For this reason, you should take it easy during pregnancy and pay attention to a balanced diet. This is the only way to meet the increased consumption of vitamins and minerals.

Also read the article: Diet during pregnancy.

The constant twitching

A constant twitching of an eyebrow is typical of a tic disorder or a neurological cause for the twitching, such as the hemispasm of the facial nerve.
On the other hand, a stress-related twitching or a twitching due to a magnesium deficiency usually only lasts for a short time, but can sometimes drag on for days.

The eyebrows twitch on the left or right side

The twitching of the eyebrow can occur on both the left and right eyebrows. Mostly, however, it occurs on one side and disappears on its own after a short time.

The twitch results from irregular, involuntary contractions of the muscle fiber bundles, so-called fasciculations. They can occur in isolation in healthy people and usually have no disease value. If the eyebrow twitching occurs as a result of an illness or remains permanent, the symptoms should be clarified by a doctor.