Chvostek’s sign is a muscle twitch around the eye that can indicate low blood calcium levels, but it cannot be used as the sole indicator. It can be induced by a doctor tapping the facial nerve, and the level of contraction can indicate the level of calcium in the blood. Other symptoms of hypocalcemia include abdominal cramps, mood changes, and general weakness. However, some people may exhibit this sign naturally or due to damage in the brain.
Chvostek’s sign is a muscle twitch around the eye caused by gently tapping the side of the face just in front of the ear. Medical professionals often use this sign as a signifier of low blood calcium levels, called hypocalcemia. However, checking for Chvostek’s sign cannot be used as the sole indicator of this condition, as approximately 25% of those who exhibit this muscle twitch do not have low blood calcium.
Patients can have Chvostek’s sign induced by a doctor touching the nerve in front of the ear with a finger. When this facial nerve is tapped in patients with hypocalcemia, the muscles around the eye on that side of the face contract to induce an eye blinking motion. The level of contraction of the muscles can be an indicator of the level of calcium in the blood. If there are extremely low levels of calcium in the blood, for example, the muscles around the eye will contract more significantly than in patients with higher calcium levels.
Chvostek’s sign is one of the earliest symptoms of hypocalcemia and may be seen before most other symptoms can be identified. As hypocalcemia progresses and blood calcium drops to dangerously low levels, muscles in the face and throughout the body lose elasticity; once muscles contract due to low blood calcium, Chvostek’s sign cannot be induced. Other symptoms of hypocalcemia include abdominal cramps, mood changes, and general weakness.
Older people who show Chvostek’s sign may have symptoms of induced hypocalcemia from a variety of causes. Alterations made to drug types or dosage levels can cause muscle spasms upon touching the facial nerve in front of the ear. People who are in stressful situations and those who engage in large amounts of strenuous exercise may also show symptoms of hypocalcemia.
Although twitching of the muscles around the eye is classified as a symptom of blood calcium problems, it can be a reflex that occurs naturally in a small number of people. Some infants and older adults who do not have low blood calcium levels may also exhibit this sign due to damage caused to the contralateral frontal cortex. In such cases, the damaged region of the brain does not effectively transmit electrical communications between the central nervous system, the brain, and the region of the face showing Chvostek’s sign.
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