Horner's syndrome

Horner's syndrome in medicine call a clinical syndrome which is characterized by disturbance of an innervation of a sympathetic nervous system of the person. This disease is shown, first of all, by defeat of a third cranial nerve which provides expansion and narrowing of pupils, and also allows an eye to open and be closed. For this reason this pathology leads to change of one of pupils and to omission of a century. In most cases Horner's syndrome arises because of certain diseases, acting as an additional symptom of any disease.

Reasons of a syndrome of Horner

There are two kinds of a syndrome of Horner: primary and secondary. Primary, or idiopathic, the look represents the independent pathology which is not a consequence of any disease. All clinical signs in this case regress in itself. The secondary look acts as result of a specific disease. Thus, it is possible to establish a number of common causes of a syndrome of Horner:

• Tumors back and brain;
• Tumor in an upper part of lungs (a so-called tumor of Pankost);
• Various injuries of a head and spinal cord;
• Inflammatory diseases of the first edges;
• Inflammatory processes of an upper part of a backbone;
• Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system;
• Inflammation of average department of an ear;
• Hemorrhage in a brain (stroke);
• Epileptiform neuralgia;
• Migraine;
• Multiple sclerosis;
• Aortic aneurysm;
• Myasthenia;
• Hyperplasia of a thyroid gland at a craw;
• Various intoxications (for example, alcoholic).

Some cases when surgical intervention after which this pathology developed acted as the reason of a syndrome of Horner are known to medicine. Very seldom it can be also descended.

This disease occurs at children seldom: only 1,42 cases on 100 000 kids. However it should be noted that Horner's syndrome at newborns is not always inborn pathology. Almost in half of cases he acts as the investigation of surgical intervention. Most often rotation of a fruit, difficulty of the birth of a shoulder, overdue childbirth and use of nippers at obstetric aid are the reason in similar situations. The last factor (application of forceps) in certain cases provokes emergence of a syndrome of Horner at newborns owing to a section of an internal carotid artery of the child.

Symptoms of a syndrome of Horner

Symptoms of a syndrome of Horner quite specific therefore it is easy to determine existence of this pathology at the person by them. It is optional that there were all signs, however existence at least already tells two of them about this disease. Let's consider the main symptoms of a syndrome:

• Miosis;
• Ptosis;
• The turned ptosis;
• Enophthalmos;
• Heterochromia;
• Anhidrosis.

Miosis in medicine call narrowing of pupils, and the ptosis is a blepharoptosis which provokes narrowing of a crack of an eye. Also at patients the raised lower eyelid or the turned ptosis can be observed.

The enophthalmos represents retraction of an eyeglobe that is a common symptom of pathology. Horner's syndrome at newborns can often be shown by means of a heterochromia – various color of an iris of eyes. Also its uneven coloring at patients is quite often observed.

The anhidrosis at this disease acts as a symptom which partially interferes with normal sweating on the struck side of a face. Besides, process of production of the lacrimal liquid is broken.

At Horner's syndrome are also often observed vasodilatation on an eyeglobe and disturbance of reaction of a pupil to light. At the healthy person at strong lighting the pupil is narrowed, and in the dark, on the contrary, extends whereas at the patients subject to this pathology, this process is considerably slowed down.

How to treat Horner's syndrome

In order that the nobility how to treat Horner's syndrome, it is necessary to be convinced initially of the diagnosis and to define severity of a disease. Today there are several main tests by which existence of this pathology at the person is established:

• The test by means of the ophtalmoscope revealing a delay of expansion of pupils;
• The test paredriny, helping to define the miosis reason;
• The test with cocaine eye drops: at their instillation at healthy people the return capture of noradrenaline is blocked that promotes a mydriasis. In the presence of Horner's syndrome shortage of noradrenaline in this connection expansion does not happen is observed.
• The test with an instillation in both eyes of M-holinoblokatora solution which reveals a syndrome by the same principle, as the previous test.

It should be noted that the idiopathic form of a syndrome as it was already noted above, can independently pass therefore does not demand special treatment. The acquired clinical syndrome which became result of any disease, on the contrary assumes careful diagnosis and the subsequent medical therapy. In spite of the fact that pathology in itself does not constitute serious health hazard of the person, the reason of its development cannot be ignored.

Therefore that the nobility how to treat Horner's syndrome, it is necessary to establish the disease which provoked it and to begin to eliminate its effects. Together with it for treatment of pathology use two main methods: plastic surgery and neurostimulation. The first way is directed to plastic correction of the expressed cosmetic shortcomings accompanying this disease. If to address professional surgeons, then it is quite possible to recover the correct form of a palpebral fissure and a century.

Neurostimulation means impact on the affected nerve and muscles current impulses which send the special electrodes imposed on skin. Such procedure is capable to recover and prepare for future regular loading even very weak muscles. It should be noted: in spite of the fact that neurostimulation is rather painful, it is the most effective remedy at Horner's syndrome as improves blood circulation and a metabolism, returning to muscles a necessary tone.