What are the causes of Horner syndrome

In life, we don’t know much about the term Horner syndrome. In fact, this disease is cervical nerve paralysis syndrome in children. The characteristics of this disease are that the patient’s eyeballs will have slightly sunken eyes, pupil constriction, and drooping upper eyelids. The causes of Horner syndrome are many and complex. For example, various surgeries, external injuries, tumors, and bleeding can all cause Horner syndrome. After suffering from Horner syndrome, patients should pay attention to their diet, drink a small amount of alcohol, eat more vegetables and grains, etc. Now let’s introduce the causes and symptoms of Horner syndrome.

1. Causes of Horner syndrome

Cervical sympathetic nerve paralysis syndrome is also known as Horners syndrome, Bernard-Horner syndrome, Claude-Bernard-Horner syndrome, cervical sympathetic nerve paralysis syndrome, cervical sympathetic nervous system paralysis, etc. Its characteristics are slight sunken eyeball and pupil constriction on the affected side, but normal reaction to light, ptosis of the upper eyelid, and less sweating on the same side of the face.

What causes cervical sympathetic nerve palsy syndrome in children?

1. Causes of disease

Any factors that may cause damage and compression of the sympathetic nerves in the neck and brain stem, such as trauma, surgery, tumors, inflammation, vascular disease, etc., can cause this symptom. Inflammation of the hypothalamus, brainstem, cervical spinal cord, carotid artery, tumor compression, bleeding and other factors may also cause it. A small number of cases may be congenital or have no obvious cause.

2. Pathogenesis

Stimulation of the sympathetic nerves can produce symptoms such as pupil dilation, widening of the palpebral fissure, bulging of the eyeballs, vasoconstriction, and excessive sweating on the head and face. Therefore, when the above-mentioned causes occur in any part of the pathway from the sympathetic nerve center to the eyes and face, the opposite symptoms will appear.

Symptoms of Horner syndrome

Common symptoms: heterochromia iris, tearing, paralysis, ptosis, enophthalmos, asymmetric pupils, sweating on one side of the face but not on the other side are seen on the same side of sympathetic nerve damage.

1. Pupil constriction is caused by paralysis of the dilator pupillae muscle of the iris. However, reactions to light and convergence exist.

2. Ptosis is caused by paralysis of the tarsal muscle. Due to drooping eyelids, the palpebral fissure is slightly smaller, but the eyelids can still open and close on their own.

3. Enophthalmos is related to paralysis of the tensor optic nerve behind the eyeball.

4. Hypoperemia on the ipsilateral side of the face is caused by dysfunction of the glandular secretion system, resulting in dry face, no sweat, fever and flushing.

5. The decrease in intraocular pressure is related to the influence of vascular nerve regulation. If this condition is congenital or occurs in children, it is often accompanied by heterochromia iridum. Other symptoms include excessive or reduced tearing, transient hypotony, and occasionally cataracts. Temporary dilation of the eyelids, conjunctiva, uveal tract, and retinal blood vessels can be seen in the early stages of the disease.

Combining the medical history and clinical manifestations, the diagnosis is generally not difficult. You can also use 4%* eye drops, once every 3 minutes, for a total of 3 times, and observe the pupil after 15 minutes.