Bell's Palsy
Bell's Palsy is a disorder in which a nerve or nerves on one side of the face suddenly stop working (NINDS, n.d.).
Symptoms of Bell's Palsy
(Shrestham, 2022; NINDS, n.d.)
The causes of Bell's Palsy are unknown, but viruses are believed to be involved.
Symptoms include:
drooping on one side of the face
facial pain or abnormal sensations
excessive tears
issues with eating or drinking
pain around the jaw and ear
Facts About Bell's Palsy
(NINDS, n.d.)
Tests for Bell's palsy may include: EMG, MRI, or CT
symptoms appear suddenly and often improve within a few weeks.
Affects about 40,000 every year
mostly affects people 15-45years old
Bell's Palsy is typically diagnosexd with an EMG, CT, and/or MRI
Important Vocab (NINDS, n.d.)
Analgesics - pain killers
EMG (electromyography) -uses thin wire electrodes to confirm nerve damage.
CT (computed tomography) -an x-ray that images the body. Also used to rule out structural causes of pressure in Bell's Palsy.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) -a test that uses magnets to image parts of the body. It is used to rule out structural causes of pressure.
Risk factors for Bell's Palsy
(NINDS, n.d.)
pregnancy
preeclampsia
obesity
hypertension
diabetes
upper respiratory issues
This Video Gives Some Basic Info About Bell's Palsy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KUbnVeMYEo
Treatments for Bell's Palsy
(NINDS, n.d.; ANSA Clinic, n.d.)
steroids
antiviral agents
analgesics
physical therapy
eye drops
Study Finds that people most younger patients with Bell's Palsy recover fully
Amalanthan and his colleagues (2022) followed 34 Bell's Palsy patients for over 8 weeks. 91% recovered fully. Those who did not recover fully were often older than 40years and/or had coronary artery disease. This study suggests that most people with Bell's Palsy recover fully.