BELL’S PALSY – Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
CAUSES
- Idiopathic
- Swelling in seventh cranial nerve
- Compression of seventh cranial nerve
- Herpes simplex virus
- Head injury
- Tumor
- Mumps
- Respiratory disorders
- Ear infection
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
- Facial muscle weakness
- Unable to lift one eyebrow
- Drooping of face
- Drooping of eye
- Unequal smile
- Drooling
- Difficulty in eating and drinking
- Difficulty in speech
- Improper expressions
- Headache
- No lacrimation on affected side
RISK FACTORS
- Genetic
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Pregnancy
- Lung infection
- Road traffic accident
- Over weight
TREATMENT
Exercises to improve facial muscle movement such as
- Try to lift eyebrow of the affected side
- Frowning
- Making pout
- Drinking liquids from straw
- Blowing exercises
- Smiling
- Talking
- Breathing exercises
- Clenching of teeth
- Vowel dictations
- Facial massage
