33 years
I had facial palsy since 18 months. my age is 32y; i took two courses of cortisone. and took more than 50 sets of electrotherapy and laiser and ultrasound; till now there is a little bit progress.
Aug 31, 2014
Bell's palsy (facial palsy) is a temporary facial paralysis that results from damage or trauma to the facial nerves. The facial nerve, also called the 7th cranial nerve, travels through a tight, bony canal in the skull just beneath the ear, to the muscles on each side of the face. For most of its journey, the nerve is encased in this bony shell.
Each facial nerve controls the muscles on one side of the face, including the muscles that are responsible for eye blinking and closing, and facial expressions such as smiling and frowning. Additionally, the facial nerve carries nerve impulses to the tear glands, the saliva glands, and the muscles of a small bone in the middle of the ear called the stapes. The facial nerve also communicates taste sensations from the tongue to the brain.
With Bell's palsy, the function of the facial nerve is disturbed, resulting in an interruption in the process of messaging from the brain to the facial muscles. This interruption results in facial weakness or paralysis.
Because the facial nerve is so complex and has various functions, damage to the nerve can lead to more than one impairment. Symptoms of Bell's palsy can vary from one individual to another and range in severity from mild weakness to total paralysis. These symptoms may include twitching, weakness, or paralysis, mostly on one side of the face, but can involve both sides of the face in rare cases. Other symptoms may include drooping of the eyelid and corner of the mouth, drooling, dryness of the eye or mouth, impairment of taste, and excessive tearing in one eye.
Bell's palsy occurs when the facial nerve is swollen, inflamed, or compressed, resulting in facial weakness or paralysis. Exactly what causes this damage, however, remains not clearly understood. Viral infections such as viral meningitis or the common cold sore virus—herpes simplex— have been heavily implicated in causing facial nerve dysfunction. I tis thought that the facial nerve swells and becomes inflamed in reaction to the infection, causing pressure within the canal and leading to poor supply of blood and oxygen to the nerve cells. In some mild cases (where recovery is rapid), the damage is restricted only to the myelin sheath of the nerve. The myelin sheath is the fatty covering-which acts as insulator-on nerve fibers in the brain.
Bell's palsy affects each individual differently. Some cases are mild and treatment is not needed, as the symptoms usually fade away on their own within 2 weeks. For others, however, treatment may include medications and other therapeutic options.
Steroids, such as prednisone, are effective in treating Bell's palsy. Other drugs, such as acyclovir, may be beneficial in the case of a viral herpes infection in shortening the course of the disease. Analgesics such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may relieve pain.
Physical therapy to stimulate the facial nerve and help maintain muscle tone may prove useful to some individuals. Facial massage and exercises may help prevent permanent contractures (shrinkage or shortening of muscles) of the paralyzed muscles before recovery takes place. Moist heat applied to the affected side of the face may help reduce pain.
Other therapies that may be useful for some individuals include relaxation techniques, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, biofeedback training, and vitamin therapy (including vitamin B12, B6, and zinc), which may help restore nerve function.
Decompression surgery for Bell's palsy (a procedure done to relieve pressure on the nerve) remains controversial and is rarely, if ever, recommended. In a minority of cases, cosmetic or reconstructive surgery may be required to lessen deformities and correct some damage such as an eyelid that will not fully close or a crooked smile.
Bell's palsy generally has a very good prognosis. The degree of nerve damage decides the duration of recovery. Improvement is gradual and recovery time varies. With or without treatment, most individuals start to notice improvement within 2 weeks after the initial onset of symptoms, and most recover their complete normal function within 3 to 6 months. For some individuals, however, the symptoms may linger. A few cases were reported where the symptoms never fully disappeared.
Each facial nerve controls the muscles on one side of the face, including the muscles that are responsible for eye blinking and closing, and facial expressions such as smiling and frowning. Additionally, the facial nerve carries nerve impulses to the tear glands, the saliva glands, and the muscles of a small bone in the middle of the ear called the stapes. The facial nerve also communicates taste sensations from the tongue to the brain.
With Bell's palsy, the function of the facial nerve is disturbed, resulting in an interruption in the process of messaging from the brain to the facial muscles. This interruption results in facial weakness or paralysis.
Because the facial nerve is so complex and has various functions, damage to the nerve can lead to more than one impairment. Symptoms of Bell's palsy can vary from one individual to another and range in severity from mild weakness to total paralysis. These symptoms may include twitching, weakness, or paralysis, mostly on one side of the face, but can involve both sides of the face in rare cases. Other symptoms may include drooping of the eyelid and corner of the mouth, drooling, dryness of the eye or mouth, impairment of taste, and excessive tearing in one eye.
Bell's palsy occurs when the facial nerve is swollen, inflamed, or compressed, resulting in facial weakness or paralysis. Exactly what causes this damage, however, remains not clearly understood. Viral infections such as viral meningitis or the common cold sore virus—herpes simplex— have been heavily implicated in causing facial nerve dysfunction. I tis thought that the facial nerve swells and becomes inflamed in reaction to the infection, causing pressure within the canal and leading to poor supply of blood and oxygen to the nerve cells. In some mild cases (where recovery is rapid), the damage is restricted only to the myelin sheath of the nerve. The myelin sheath is the fatty covering-which acts as insulator-on nerve fibers in the brain.
Bell's palsy affects each individual differently. Some cases are mild and treatment is not needed, as the symptoms usually fade away on their own within 2 weeks. For others, however, treatment may include medications and other therapeutic options.
Steroids, such as prednisone, are effective in treating Bell's palsy. Other drugs, such as acyclovir, may be beneficial in the case of a viral herpes infection in shortening the course of the disease. Analgesics such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may relieve pain.
Physical therapy to stimulate the facial nerve and help maintain muscle tone may prove useful to some individuals. Facial massage and exercises may help prevent permanent contractures (shrinkage or shortening of muscles) of the paralyzed muscles before recovery takes place. Moist heat applied to the affected side of the face may help reduce pain.
Other therapies that may be useful for some individuals include relaxation techniques, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, biofeedback training, and vitamin therapy (including vitamin B12, B6, and zinc), which may help restore nerve function.
Decompression surgery for Bell's palsy (a procedure done to relieve pressure on the nerve) remains controversial and is rarely, if ever, recommended. In a minority of cases, cosmetic or reconstructive surgery may be required to lessen deformities and correct some damage such as an eyelid that will not fully close or a crooked smile.
Bell's palsy generally has a very good prognosis. The degree of nerve damage decides the duration of recovery. Improvement is gradual and recovery time varies. With or without treatment, most individuals start to notice improvement within 2 weeks after the initial onset of symptoms, and most recover their complete normal function within 3 to 6 months. For some individuals, however, the symptoms may linger. A few cases were reported where the symptoms never fully disappeared.
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