Let’s decode eye twitch, and know how to combat it

As we cross the age of 30, we start experiencing certain conditions, which can be uncomfortable and embarrassing but not necessarily serious. Eye twitch is one such condition. When your brain wants to send you a message that something is beginning to go wrong with the way you are handling your body, it sends you a symptom. They can be either painful (knee pain, back pain, headache, body ache, muscle stiffness, etc.) or unpleasant (eye twitch, frequent sneezing, coughing, stomach cramps, etc.) Figuring out what your body is trying to tell you is important. If you’re not eating right, or sleeping adequately, your body will let you know by sending you a couple of messages via symptoms. So, let’s decode eye twitch.

An eye twitch is a spasm of the eyelid muscle. These spasms are unpredictable and may occur every few hours. Most spasms will resolve on their own without need for treatment. Sometimes, if they do not resolve easily you may dig deep for early warning signs of a chronic movement disorder, especially if they are accompanied with other facial twitches.

In most cases, eye twitches happen if you have strained your eyes for too long on your computer, or if you are exhausted and dehydrated with electrolyte imbalance and physical exertion, or due to stress, too much exercise, smoking, alcohol and drinking excessive amounts of coffee. Matters may get worse if you are above 50 years of age and have dry eyes, or if you are exposed to bright lights, pollution, or have hormonal imbalance, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, etc.

If your eye twitch does not go away in a few days, you must see a doctor. However, here are a few ways to deal with it. Hydrate yourself: Drink water, coconut water, buttermilk and fresh lime water to ensure electrolyte balance Get adequate sleep as lack of sleep can aggravate it Take a high potency vitamin B complex supplement Take magnesium supplement or drink green juice made from mint and coriander with rock salt and lime. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as both are dehydrating. They deplete calcium, zinc and magnesium and all these are important to reduce muscle spasm Stop smoking as that will worsen your condition Apply a warm compress to your eye for a few seconds Sleep for 10 hours at a stretch for one night. It helps reduce stress Take antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C,E, A and selenium to ward off the ill effects of stress.

AN EYE TWITCH IS A SPASM OF THE EYELID MUSCLE. MOST SPASMS RESOLVE ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT NEED FOR TREATMENT. IF THEY DON’T, IT CAN BE A SIGN OF A CHRONIC MOVEMENT DISORDER

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK Keep yourself hydrated. Drink water, coconut water, buttermilk and fresh lime water to ensure electrolyte balance