Can Gluten Cause Facial & Eye Twitching?

In sensitive people, gluten can cause hundreds of health problems from gastrointestinal distress to itchy skin. Facial and eye twitching isn't commonly listed as a side effect of gluten intolerance, but it can be related. If you've consulted with your physician and ruled out other causes of your twitches, you might consider looking at gluten as a culprit.

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ABOUT GLUTEN INTOLERANCE

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness reports that approximately one in every 133 Americans suffers from celiac disease, an autoimmune condition characterized by an intolerance to gluten. Whenever you consume as little as a speck of gluten-containing food, your body attacks the villi in your small intestine, making them less able to absorb nutrients. Celiac disease often leads to malnutrition, so you may experience symptoms related to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which can include muscle twitches. A number of people are intolerant to gluten and may experience bloating or diarrhea after eating it. Gluten intolerance is different than celiac disease in that sufferers don't experience any permanent damage from consuming the protein. Nerve and muscle complications aren't commonly associated with non-celiac gluten intolerance.

TWITCHING

The Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan notes that minor eye twitching is common and shouldn't be of concern. If your twitches last for more than a few days and are disturbing to your daily functioning, consult your doctor. Common causes of facial twitches include too much caffeine, drug side effects and certain diseases. You may also experience facial muscle twitches due to certain deficiencies in your diet, specifically magnesium.

SIGNIFICANCE OF GLUTEN

If you have diagnosed or undiagnosed celiac disease, your body may not be getting all the nutrients that it needs to function properly. Although magnesium deficiency is rare, it can occur in celiacs who can't absorb it during digestion. Celiac disease can also cause muscle wasting -- simply the loss of lean muscle mass -- and muscle weakness. Both of these can lead to muscle twitching all over the body, including the face. Celiac disease may also lead to nervous system disorders that may include eye and facial twitching.

OTHER MEDICAL CAUSES

If you test negative for celiac disease, you may be evaluated for other conditions that can cause twitching. Eyelid twitching can be related to a condition called blepharospasm, which results from abnormal nerve impulses and usually involves both of your eyes. In advanced cases, the twitching can occur in other muscles of the face. The danger of this condition is that you may be temporarily unable to see during a twitching episode, leaving you incapacitated. Hemifacial spasm is another cause of twitching that usually involves the eyelid and muscles around the mouth on only one side of the face. The cause is an artery pressing on the nerve that controls the facial muscles. Your physician may treat you with medication or injections and therapy. If these therapies don't work and you still think that gluten is an issue, try a gluten-free diet for a while to see if it clears up your condition. Consult with a dietitian or work with your doctor to ensure that you still get all of the nutrients that you need while cutting out gluten-containing foods.