What are the latest updates on Bell's palsy? On rare occasions, cosmetic or reconstructive surgery may be needed to correct some damage such as an eyelid that will not fully close or a crooked smile.Physical therapy, facial massage, or acupuncture may provide a small improvement with facial nerve function and pain. Electrical stimulation of the facial nerve may improve.Keeping your eyes moist and protecting them from debris and injury, especially at night, is important. Lubricating eye drops, such as artificial tears or eye ointments or gels, and eye patches also are effective.Because of possible drug interactions, individuals taking prescription medicines should always talk to their doctors before taking any over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Analgesics such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may relieve pain.Antiviral agents (in addition to steroids) might increase the probability of recovery of facial function, although their benefit has not been clearly established.Your doctor might prescribe steroids if you have new-onset Bell's palsy. In most instances, oral steroids should be started within 72 hours of symptom onset if possible, to reduce inflammation and swelling and increase the probability of recovering facial nerve function. Some people with Bell's palsy or facial weakness with co-existing conditions may not respond well to or be able to take steroids.Diagnostic imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans can rule out other structural causes of pressure on the facial nerve (e.g., an artery compressing the nerve) and also check the other nerves.Blood tests can sometimes help diagnose other concurrent problems such as diabetes and certain infections.EMGs can confirm the presence of nerve damage and determine the severity and the extent of nerve involvement. Electromyography (EMG), which uses thin wire electrodes that are inserted into a muscle to assess changes in electrical activity during movement and when the muscle is at rest.If no specific cause can be identified, the condition can be diagnosed as Bell's palsy. Routine laboratory or imaging studies are not necessary for most cases, but sometimes they can help to confirm your diagnosis or rule out other diseases or conditions that can cause facial weakness (e.g., brain tumor, stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Lyme disease). There is no specific laboratory test to confirm diagnosis of the disorder. During the exam, the doctor will rule out other possible causes of facial paralysis. How is Bell's palsy diagnosed and treated?Ī doctor will examine you for any upper and lower facial muscle weakness on one side of your face (including the forehead, eyelid, and mouth) that began in less than 72 hours. Damage to the myelin sheath (fatty covering that insulates nerve fibers).Infection of a facial nerve and resulting inflammation.Impaired immunity from stress, sleep deprivation, physical trauma, minor illness, or autoimmune syndromes.Possible triggers of Bell's palsy may include: Risk factors for Bell's palsy include pregnancy, preeclampsia, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and upper respiratory ailments. It can affect anyone of any gender and age but seems to be highest in those in people 15 to 45 years old. Who is more likely to get Bell's palsy?īell's palsy is estimated to affect about 40,000 people in the United States every year. Sometimes the facial weakness may last longer or be permanent.īell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis, although its exact cause is unknown. It results from dysfunction of cranial nerve VII, which connects your brain to the muscles that control facial expression (the nerve also is involved with taste and ear sensation). In rare cases, Bell's palsy can affect both sides of your face. Symptoms appear suddenly over a 48- to 72-hour period and generally start to improve with or without treatment after a few weeks. They vary from person to person and can be mild to severe. Usually, you will recover some or all facial function within a few weeks to six months. People living with Bell's palsy may also develop: Most often these symptoms lead to significant facial distortions.
Difficulty closing an eyelid, which causes eye dryness.Sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of your face.One of the nerves that controls muscles in your face becomes injured or stops working properly. Bell's palsy is a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face.
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