60-year-old Kimberly Tucker traveled nearly 3,000 miles to undergo microvascular decompression with neurosurgeon Dr. Aaron Cohen-Gadol after decades of facial spasms, misdiagnoses and temporary treatments

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For more than 25 years, Kimberly Tucker lived with involuntary facial spasms that gradually affected her confidence, sleep, driving, social life and ability to enjoy many of the activities she once loved.

Today, the 60-year-old Virginia resident says she is symptom-free following microvascular decompression surgery performed by neurosurgeon Dr. Aaron Cohen-Gadol in Los Angeles, California.

"For the first time in 25 years, I feel truly free… happy… like I've been given a fresh start," Tucker said.

Tucker's symptoms began when she was approximately 35 years old with what initially appeared to be an occasional involuntary wink of her left eye. Over time, the blinking became more frequent and eventually spread across the entire left side of her face.

Before the condition developed, Tucker describes herself as an active, confident professional who enjoyed skiing, hockey, public speaking, leadership opportunities and singing in her church choir. As the spasms progressed, she became increasingly self-conscious and began withdrawing from parts of life she had once enjoyed.

Early neurological testing found no brain damage, lesions or signs of multiple sclerosis. Tucker was initially diagnosed with focal dystonia and/or blepharospasm and was prescribed clonazepam, which she says caused significant drowsiness.

Over the following decade, she tried numerous approaches in search of relief, including massage, chiropractic care, acupuncture, relaxation techniques, neck decompression devices and other treatments. Most provided little or only temporary improvement, she says.

Tucker was eventually diagnosed with hemifacial spasm caused by compression of the facial nerve. Physicians discussed microvascular decompression, commonly known as MVD, as a potential surgical treatment. At the time, Tucker says she was advised to wait as surgical technology and techniques continued to advance.

She instead received highly targeted botulinum toxin (BOTOX) injections, which she says provided approximately 75 to 80 percent temporary relief. Botulinum toxin injections can help reduce the muscle contractions associated with hemifacial spasm, although their effects are temporary and repeat treatments are typically required. Microvascular decompression is a surgical treatment designed to relieve vascular compression of the facial nerve when such compression is identified as the underlying cause of the condition.

Then life intervened.

In 2016, Tucker moved from Southern California back to rural Virginia to care for her aging parents. She lost continuity with the specialists who had been treating her and spent the following years focused largely on her family.

Her parents died in 2021 and 2024.

After grieving and settling their affairs, Tucker realized another decade had passed.

"It was finally time to prioritize and focus on my own health," she said.

By early 2026, her condition had progressed to the point that she says it was interfering with her ability to drive safely and sleep through the night. She had spent approximately two years trying to find appropriate neurological care near her rural Virginia home and was approaching the point of considering disability.

Tucker began searching online for information about newer treatments and microvascular decompression.

That search led her to Dr. Cohen-Gadol's videos and patient testimonials.

"I knew I needed a specialist who would focus on the root cause of my disorder rather than simply managing the symptoms with more injections," Tucker said.

After watching videos of patients who had undergone MVD for hemifacial spasm, Tucker submitted a consultation request through the ATLAS Institute of Brain and Spine.

She says the office contacted her in less than 48 hours.

Despite living nearly 3,000 miles away, Tucker scheduled a virtual consultation with Dr. Cohen-Gadol and his team.

She says they reviewed her medical history and previous surgical records, discussed insurance and expected costs, helped coordinate preoperative testing near her home and provided information about travel and accommodations for her family.

Her first impression of Dr. Cohen-Gadol was that he was "kind and had a confident but gentle manner."

Tucker recalls him telling her that he would approach her care as he would the care of a member of his own family.

"If there was someone out there in the world who could help me… it was him," she said.

On April 21, 2026, Tucker underwent microvascular decompression performed by Dr. Cohen-Gadol at Providence Saint John's Health Center.

Her improvement was gradual.

When Tucker first woke from surgery, her face was still twitching, something she found deeply discouraging after seeing other MVD patients describe immediate relief.

According to Tucker, Dr. Cohen-Gadol and his team reassured her that the facial nerve had been decompressed and explained that improvement following the procedure can sometimes occur gradually.

Then the symptoms began to fade.

Tucker estimates she was approximately 25 percent improved when she left the hospital two days later. After one week, she estimated 40 percent improvement. At two weeks, she was approximately 50 to 60 percent better.

Within six weeks, Tucker says she was approximately 90 percent symptom-free. In less than eight weeks, she says the spasms were completely gone.

Tucker says the spasms have not returned.

She also reports improvements in her overall quality of life. Tucker says her chronic neck and shoulder tension subsided, she feels steadier while walking and she now sleeps seven to eight hours each night without facial spasms repeatedly waking her.

She has also started taking music lessons and learning guitar, with hopes of returning to singing.

She attends more community events, starts conversations more freely and says she can laugh and smile without thinking about how her face might look.

"I am most grateful to be able to smile a big smile without worrying about my face becoming distorted and twitching," Tucker said. "It is an amazing feeling of freedom to experience everyday joy to the fullest."

Her message to other people living with hemifacial spasm is straightforward.

"Don't wait to get help," Tucker said.

She encourages patients to research their condition, learn about available treatment options, ask questions and remain active participants in their medical decisions.

Looking back, Tucker says her greatest regret is simply that it took so long to find the treatment and specialist who ultimately helped her. She encourages others living with hemifacial spasm to learn about both nonsurgical and surgical treatment options and, when appropriate, seek evaluation from physicians experienced in treating the condition.

"I only regret that I had to wait so long to get the help I needed," she said.

Today, Tucker is back home in Virginia, working with her local economic development agency, gardening, tackling home-improvement projects, learning guitar and rediscovering pieces of the life she had gradually surrendered over the previous quarter-century.

At 60, she says, "I've never felt better."

About Dr. Aaron Cohen-Gadol

Dr. Aaron Cohen-Gadol is a neurosurgeon specializing in complex neurological and neurovascular conditions and is associated with the ATLAS Institute of Brain and Spine in Los Angeles. His clinical work includes treating patients with conditions requiring advanced neurosurgical treatment, including microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm and surgery for brain tumors. https://www.atlasneurosurgeryinstitute.com/

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SOURCE ATLAS Institute of Brain and Spine