Comprehensive Facial Pain & Hemifacial Spasm Center

The Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Facial Pain and Hemifacial Spasm Center is a recognized leader, providing comprehensive, world-class care for adults and children with facial pain and hemifacial spasm. We are ranked in the top 1% of all hospitals in the nation for neurology and neurosurgery, according to U.S. News & World Report, and an international referral site for complex cases.

Our multidisciplinary team of world-renowned, highly specialized experts in neurology and neurosurgery collaborate closely to design a personalized care plan that addresses the unique needs of each individual patient. We treat the full spectrum of facial pain and hemifacial spasm conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia, glossopharyngeal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm/twitch. By applying the most advanced and innovative neurological and neurosurgical care, we are able to provide a full range of treatments to relieve pain or spasms without the constant burden of medications.

At the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Facial Pain and Hemifacial Spasm Center, we provide access to the latest and most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and technologies. Based on our team’s assessment, we develop individualized treatment plans that are designed to maximize our patients’ care, returning them to health as quickly as possible. We combine state-of-the-art technology and expertise to deliver the most appropriate care and least invasive treatment for the best possible outcomes.

Our multidisciplinary team of experts is at the forefront of facial pain and hemifacial spasm care, bringing real change and relief to patients by using inspired, innovative techniques and technology. Many practitioners collaborate and contribute to care, working together with the core physician team.

Trigeminal neuralgia is known for causing excruciating pain, typically on one side of the face. The pain is often described as sharp, stabbing, or shooting and can last from a few seconds to minutes. Pain episodes are often triggered by touch, sound, or other stimuli in specific areas of the face.

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a rare and often severe pain disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of intense, stabbing pain in the throat, tongue, and ear. This condition is caused by irritation or compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve, which is the ninth cranial nerve responsible for transmitting sensory information from the back of the throat and tongue to the brain. The causes, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis are similar to that for Trigeminal neuralgia, though in this targeting the glossopharyngeal nerve.

Hemifacial spasm is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary contractions or spasms of the muscles on one side of the face. These spasms typically begin around the eye and then progress to involve other facial muscles, causing twitching or repetitive movements. The condition is often unilateral, affecting only one side of the face. The spasms can range from mild twitching to more severe and sustained contractions and tend to become more frequent and intense over time.