Bells palsy

Bell's palsy, also called facial palsy, is a disorder caused by damage to the facial nerve, the nerve that supplies the muscles of the face. This damage causes partial or total paralysis of one side of the face. No one is certain why Bell's palsy occurs, but it may be due to a virus such as herpes simplex, the "cold sore" virus. About 1 of 70 people develop Bell's palsy, usually just once. Symptoms of Bell's palsy Symptoms come on suddenly, sometimes preceded by a day or two of pain behind the ear. About half of all people who get Bell's palsy have partial or full paralysis of the face within 48 hours; the rest develop it within five days. Bell’s palsy symptoms include: • drooping of one corner of the mouth • flattening of the creases and folds in the skin • inability to close one eyelid • a sagging lower eyelid, letting tears spill onto the cheek • heaviness or numbness on the affected side The paralysis can cause food to collect between the teeth and lips, and saliva may dribble from the corner of the mouth. Some people with Bell's palsy become painfully sensitive to loud sounds. Diagnosing Bell's palsy Bell's palsy usually causes characteristic signs that can lead a skilled clinician to the right diagnosis. He or she must also rule out other possible causes of facial paralysis, such as a stroke. There is no specific laboratory test to confirm that a person has Bell's palsy. A test called electromyography can confirm the presence of nerve damage and determine its severit...

Bell’s palsy is a condition that causes a temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles in the face. It may occur due to a viral or bacterial infection. It can occur when the nerve that controls your facial muscles becomes inflamed, swollen, or compressed. The condition causes one side of your face to droop or become stiff. You may have difficulty smiling or closing your eye on the affected side. In most cases, Bell’s palsy is temporary, and symptoms usually go away within a few weeks or months. Although Bell’s palsy can occur at any age, the condition is more common among people between ages 16 and 60. Bell’s palsy is named after the Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, who was the first to describe the condition. Bell’s palsy occurs when the seventh cranial nerve becomes swollen or compressed, resulting in facial weakness or The viruses and bacteria that have been linked to the development of Bell’s palsy include: • • • • herpes zoster virus, which causes • • Many The thought is that the facial nerve reacts to the infection by swelling, which causes pressure in the bony canal (known as the Fallopian canal) that the facial nerve passes through to the side of the face. According to the The Share on Pinterest Credit: Wenzdai Figueroa The symptoms of Bell’s palsy can vary in severity, from mild weakness to total paralysis. The more inflammation and compression the facial nerve is exposed to, the more The symptoms of Bell’s palsy can develop 1 to 2 weeks after you have a: • • • ...

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A stroke could possibly affect cognitive function, language, pupil tone (unequal pupils), ability to swallow, and vital signs. Both a stroke and Bell's palsy can cause a facial droop. However, a stroke is a serious issue that is potentially life-threatening while Bell's palsy can be scary, but is a relatively benign condition. Hispanolistic / Getty Images Stroke A stroke is a brain injury caused by a sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain. The lack of blood oxygen and nutrients can cause sudden onset and ultimately lasting effects on muscle tone, speech, or cognitive ability. There are two distinct types of stroke: hemorrhagic and ischemic. Unlike strokes, Bell's palsy will not directly involve the brain. This means a patient with Bell's palsy will not be confused or have difficulty understanding speech. There will not be any involvement of other areas of the body besides the face. Patients with Bell's palsy do not have difficulty standing, walking, or using their arms and hands. The Difference The biggest difference between Bell's palsy and stroke has to do with the involvement of the brain. Since Bell's palsy is not affecting actual brain tissue or brain function, there is nothing beyond the facial nerve that can be affected. If anything beyond the facial nerve is involved, it's not Bell's palsy. While Bell's palsy does not involve brain function, it is totally possible for a stroke to only involve facial nerve function. Since a stroke has the potential to invo...

LearningObjectives • Learnthe basic anatomy of facial muscle control. • Recognizethe common clinical presentation of Bell’s palsy and ischemic stroke. • Understandhow to rapidly assess a patient with acute facial weakness to differentiate between Bell’s palsy and ischemic stroke. You’re responding to a 54-year-old woman with facial weakness. The patient states she looked in the mirror this morning and noticed her face appeared “twisted.” She didn’t notice any facial asymmetry before going to bed the night before. She complains of no pain or numbness. Your assessment shows the right side of her mouth isn’t able to smile and she has difficulty closing her right eye. You perform a neurologic exam; strength and sensation are normal throughout, with no weakness in the arms or legs and no other neurologic findings. She’s able to communicate and answers all questions appropriately. Is this a stroke? Facial Weakness The two most common causes of acute facial paralysis are Bell’s palsy and ischemic stroke. 1 EMS providers are often faced with the challenge of differentiating between these two diagnoses. Because acute stroke is a time-critical illness, the distinction between stroke and Bell’s palsy must be made quickly to avoid unnecessary delays in treatment. Anatomy of Facial Muscle Control Two facial nerves, the right and the left, control all of the muscles in the face. The right facial nerve controls all of the muscles on the right side and the left facial nerve controls all o...

Bell’s palsy, or facial palsy, is a paralysis or severe weakness of the facial muscles on one side of the face that causes it to droop or become stiff. It can appear within a few hours and usually resolves without treatment after some weeks or months. As well as paralysis on one side of the face, a person In It can be worrying, but most people make a full recovery. Share on Pinterest Image credit: Dr. James Heilman Bell’s palsy involves a weakness or paralysis on one side of the face, often without a clear cause. Symptoms tend to appear over several hours. The affected side of the face tends to droop. There may also be changes in saliva and tear production and the sense of taste. Many people fear they are having a In the United States, there are about A person who develops Bell’s palsy • sudden paralysis or weakness on one side of the face • difficulty closing the eye, lip, or both on the affected side • exposure of the cornea • irritation in the eye, because it does not blink and becomes too dry • changes in the amount of tears the eye produces • drooping in parts of the face, such as one side of the mouth • drooling from one side of the mouth • a drooping brow • change in facial expressions • change in the sense of taste • sensitivity to sound • • facial pain The severity of symptoms can range from mild weakness to complete paralysis. Research shows that symptoms tend to appear and progress over Is it a stroke or Bell’s palsy? Someone should seek immediate medical attent...

Bell's palsy is a peripheral palsy of the facial nerve that results in muscle weakness on one side of the face. Affected patients develop unilateral facial paralysis over one to three days with forehead involvement and no other neurologic abnormalities. Symptoms typically peak in the first week and then gradually resolve over three weeks to three months. Bell's palsy is more common in patients with diabetes, and although it can affect persons of any age, incidence peaks in the 40s. Bell's palsy has been traditionally defined as idiopathic; however, one possible etiology is infection with herpes simplex virus type 1. Laboratory evaluation, when indicated by history or risk factors, may include testing for diabetes mellitus and Lyme disease. A common short-term complication of Bell's palsy is incomplete eyelid closure with resultant dry eye. A less common long-term complication is permanent facial weakness with muscle contractures. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of patients will recover spontaneously; however, treatment with a seven-day course of acyclovir or valacyclovir and a tapering course of prednisone, initiated within three days of the onset of symptoms, is recommended to reduce the time to full recovery and increase the likelihood of complete recuperation. Bell's palsy is an idiopathic, acute peripheral-nerve palsy involving the facial nerve, which supplies all the muscles of facial expression. The facial nerve also contains parasympathetic fibers to the lacrimal and...

Article: • • • • • • • • • Images: • Epidemiology The peak age of presentation is between 15-50 years with ~25 cases per 100,000 per year. There is no gender predominance 10. Risk factors • pregnancy • • increasing age • 10 Clinical presentation The classical presentation is rapid onset unilateral facial paralysis in a lower motor neurone pattern whereby both upper and lower facial muscles are affected (cf. central cause e.g. 12. Onset can be as quick as over a few hours, and generally paralysis reaches its peak within 72 hours 12. Associated symptoms include 12: • ipsilateral hyperacusis • ipsilateral dysguesia, particularly the anterior two-thirds • pain behind the ipsilateral ear or neck • ipsilateral altered facial sensation Recurrent Bell palsy is reported to occur in 4-7% of patients 14, with multiple recurrences rare. Recurrence can be ipsilateral or contralateral to the original episode. The mean time to recurrence is ~10 years (range 7.8-11.2 years), although ~50% experience recurrence within 5 years 11. Pathology The aetiology of Bell palsy is yet to be elucidated, and thus the diagnosis remains one of exclusion after other aetiologies for 12,13. Prominent theories include reactivation of a virus with 12,13. Anatomical predisposing factors, such as narrowing of the path of the facial nerve through the 13. Radiographic features There is a limited role for imaging of patients with Bell palsy. MRI should be considered for the following patients: • decompressive surg...