What are the symptoms? Expand Symptoms of Meige syndrome include: excessive and uncontrollable blinking muscle spasms around the eyes causing them to close inability to re-open the eyes dry eyes eyes sensitive to light muscle spasms in the jaw causing the mouth to open or close muscle spasms that pull the mouth or tongue into different positions difficulty opening or closing the mouth difficulty chewing or swallowing tremor pain Stress and anxiety are known to exacerbate the symptoms.
Who does it affect? Expand Symptoms usually begin between the ages of 40 and 70 years Meige syndrome appears to be more common in women than men
What are the causes? Expand Dystonia is caused by incorrect signals from the brain to the affected body part but the causes for this are not yet fully understood. However, in some cases Meige syndrome is caused by medical drugs, notably those used to treat Parkinson’s disease. If this cause of the condition is suspected, a reduced dose may alleviate the problem.
What are the common treatments? Expand Botulinum toxin injections Oral medication Physiotherapy Self-help techniques Ptosis props (eye crutches) Artificial eye drops
How will it affect my life? Expand You may need to find ways to adapt and might have to learn new ways to complete everyday tasks. However, it is possible to live well with the condition and Dystonia UK is here to support you through all stages including initial onset, diagnosis, finding treatment and beyond. You may find these coping techniques helpful: Press your fingers against the temples, end of nose or other parts of your face – you need to find the spot that suits you Use distraction techniques: taking a very deep breath, chewing gum, whistling, humming, sucking on a straw, singing, reading aloud or pinching yourself Use relaxation techniques in a dark place Put your head back, close your eyes or look down rather than trying to look ahead Block out bright light by wearing a hat or visor. Wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors and tinted lenses indoors.