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Potential association between recurrent facial nerve palsy and migraines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 September 2020

G Kontorinis  and
A Tyagi
G Kontorinis*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
A Tyagi
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Georgios Kontorinis, Department of Otolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, 1345 Govan Road, GlasgowG51 4TF, Scotland, UK E-mail: Georgios.Kontorinis@glasgow.ac.uk
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the possible association between recurrent facial nerve palsy and migraines.

Method

This study was a prospective case series with a two-year follow-up at an academic, tertiary referral centre and included patients with at least four episodes of recurrent lower motor neuron facial nerve palsy. All patients underwent standardised diagnostic tests.

Results

Four patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The patients were all female with an average age at presentation of 40.75 years (range, 33–60 years) and an average age at the initial episode of 14 years (range, 12–16 years). The number of episodes varied between six and nine. All patients had at least one episode of facial nerve palsy on the contralateral side. Two patients were diagnosed and treated for migraine with aura remaining asymptomatic following prophylactic medication for migraines.

Conclusion

The results raise the possibility of an association between recurrent facial nerve palsy and migraines. Prospective studies in patients with even fewer episodes of facial nerve palsy could shed more light on this association.

Keywords

Bell's PalsyFacial NerveHeadacheMigraine
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 134 , Issue 9 , September 2020 , pp. 822 - 825
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Dr G Kontorinis takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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