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