Bell's Palsy

created by DMan
(thing) by DMan (1.6 y) (print)   (I like it!) 2 C!s Sat Apr 22 2000 at 4:52:24
My own research into many sites, information is pieced together

Also called facial palsy, this is a disorder involving sudden facial drooping and decreased ability to move the face. It is caused by damage to cranial nerve VII. Bell's palsy is an acute form of cranial mononeuropathy VII and is the most common form of this type of nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy). Statistics indicate that the disorder affects approximately 2 out of 10,000 people, however, the actual incidence is likely to be much higher (around 1 out of 500 to 1,000). The disorder is a mononeuropathy (involvement of a single nerve) that damages the 7th cranial (facial) nerve, the nerve that controls movement of the muscles of the face. The cause is unknown. In some cases, the disorder is presumed to be associated with inflammation of the facial nerve where it travels through the bones of the skull. It may also be caused by head injury, tumor, hypertension, or infarction.

Symptoms

  • Pain behind or in front of the ear
  • May precede weakness of facial muscles by 1-2 days
  • Impairment of taste
  • Sensitivity to sound
  • Headache
  • Face feels stiff
  • Face feels pulled to one side
  • Difficulty with eating and drinking
  • Change in facial appearance
  • Facial droop
  • Difficulty with facial expressions, grimacing
  • Facial paralysis of one side of the face
  • Difficulty with fine facial movements
  • Drooling

    In many cases, no treatment is necessary. The goal of treatment is to relieve the symptoms. Corticosteroids may reduce swelling and relieve pressure on the facial nerve for some persons. Corticosteroids must be given early to be most effective; preferably within 24 hours of the onset of paralysis. Lubricating eye drops or eye ointments may be recommended to protect the eye if it cannot be closed completely. The eye may need to be patched during sleep to protect it. Surgical procedures to decompress the facial nerve have not been shown to routinely benefit people with Bell's palsy.

    The outcome varies. Approximately 60% to 80% of cases resolve completely within a few weeks to months. Some cases result in permanent changes. The disorder is not a threat to life.

    • (thing) by ramblebabble (6.8 y) (print)   (I like it!) Wed Nov 14 2001 at 18:36:51
    The RA or Resident Assisstant of my freshman dorm was afflicted with a permanent form of Bell's Palsy. When I first saw her, I admit with shame that I was shocked. I thought she was ugly, I wondered what horrific event had caused half of her face to go slack like that. I didn't have the nerve to ask her, though, and so simply tried to ignore it.

    I didn't have to try for long. She was such an incredible person, I soon grew to enjoy her company so much that the disfigurement ceased to become noticable. In fact, it was even beautiful. She could only smile with one half of her mouth, but that smile was radiant. I envied her vibrance and her multitudinous talents. She wrote songs, she played the guitar, she sang, she was incredibly spiritual, she was smart, self-confident, and fun.

    How I wanted to be like her, Bell's Palsy and all.

    (thing) by heidavey (3.7 y) (print)   (I like it!) 1 C! Mon Jan 27 2003 at 17:44:06

    I got bells palsy earlier this year. I had just got my results for my end of year exams at Uni. and my mum came to pick me up from my house.

    On the drive home, I had a bottle of flavoured water and I could only taste on one side of my tongue. I thought this was odd at the time and didn't think anything of it again.

    The next day I was surfing the net and my right eye was watering really badly. I thought I was just tired, besides I had spent ages on the net and you know how your eyes start to hurt anyway.

    The next morning after that I was brushing my teeth and kept hitting my lip on my right side. I was confused and tried opening my mouth further but couldn't. Looking at myself in the mirror I realised that I couldn't blink my right eye or flare my right nostril. I went and told my mum and she said, "Oh, you've got bells palsy", she'd had it before and so recognised the symptoms.

    We phoned NHS direct who were really helpful and told us to go to A&E anyway.

    At A&E, I saw the triage nurse and was awarded high priority so went straight in to the doctor. After a few face-pulling tests he sent me on my way with a tube of Chloramphenical to treat my eye.

    Bells Palsy is a paralysis of one side of the face (usually. Bilateral palsy can occur but is extremely rare) caused by an infection, usually viral. The nerve affected is the VII cranial nerve, which was studied in great detail by the Scottish surgeon Sir Charles Bell, hence the name. It can also occur due to mechanical damage.

    Apparently diabetics are four times more likely to develop bells palsy, which is funny because my girlfriends mum, thinks I am diabetic.

    About one in 5000 people suffer with Bells Palsy during their lifetime and it affects both sexes and all races equally.

    About 50% recover completely within a short time and 80% within a year.

    Bells Palsy doesn't hurt. The only pain I had was behind my ear and must have been due to mechanical pressure from the infection. The most important thing to remember is your eye on the affected side.

    Because you can't blink you are at risk of picking up a secondary infection in the eye. The Chloramphenical is an antibiotic and was prescribed to prevent any infection. You have to apply the cream and then tape your eye shut. It can be quite frustrating when your eye won't stay closed.

    You do get funny looks from people and some people who develop Bells Palsy actually get quite down about it. I'm a very easy going person, I didn't mind what people thought of what I looked, but even I felt a bit down at times. I was thinking along the lines of 'What happens if it doesn't go away?'.

    My Bells Palsy went in a few months but even now if I'm watching a film or eating, my right eye will water a lot. I sometimes also get a brief cramp when I yawn. I don't know if it will clear up 100% but I'm not worried.

    A few thing that I thought were quite interesting: The way your forehead wrinkles change shape and completely go on the one side even after only a couple of days. Freaking people out when you sneeze, because only one of you eyes can close. It dispels the myth that if you hold your eyes open they will pop out. Also, I got to wear a patch for a couple of weeks.

    Well I hope that this is helpful if you have developed Bells Palsy. My advice is not to worry, do some research on the net. There are plenty of resources available. One of the best is www.bellspalsy.ws

    (definition) by Webster 1913 (print) Wed Apr 13 2005 at 6:11:29

    Bell's palsy.

    Paralysis of the facial nerve, producing distortion of one side of the face.

     

    © Webster 1913.

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