Bell's palsy

The condition that causes temporary facial paralysis is called Bell's palsy... This disease usually occurs on one side of the face and you see that your face is crooked or there is a certain droop on one side of your face.. It is possible that your lips are crooked when you smile or, for example, your eyelids do not close in old age.. In people from 16 to 60 years old.... Generally, when the seventh nerve of the brain that controls the facial nerves is inflamed, these symptoms appear can be... ### What is Bell's palsy?... There are many nerves and muscles in our face to make movements such as laughing, frowning, talking, chewing and.... For example: - If the patient has already had a stroke, a part of the brain may have been lost and there is a disorder in the nerves sending messages to the muscles... In this case, facial wrinkles are reduced... In Bell's disease, our facial nerves usually originate from the seventh cranial nerve and are responsible for facial contractions... One or both sides of the patient's face may be paralyzed... If there is inflammation in a part of your face, this inflammation affects the messenger system by producing substances affects the nerves and muscles.... if the inflammation becomes more intense and approaches the facial nerves (nerve number 7); It can lead to Bell's palsy... As long as this inflammation exists, local paralysis will continue... In short, Bell's palsy or facial palsy is a disease in which the muscles of one side of the face are usually drooping... on both sides of the face and paralysis in general... ### Difference between Bell's palsy and stroke Many patients are worried about a stroke as soon as they see their face tilting... But there are a series of differences between these two diseases that you can easily distinguish from each other... - A stroke usually does not involve the frontal muscles, but Bell's palsy does... ### Is Bell's palsy dangerous?... This type of paralysis in most people recovers over time and does not leave long-term side effects, but some symptoms such as the inability to close the eyes in the area Injured can carry the risk of dry eye.. Also, Bell's palsy itself is not fatal, but the symptoms it causes are very similar to those caused by a stroke or brain tumors, which can be very dangerous if left untreated.. The cause of the inflammation that causes Bell's palsy is unknown, but in most cases this inflammation is infectious and caused by some type of virus.... When you get infected with a virus like the chicken pox virus and recover, the virus remains in your body and is implanted in the nerve cells... which occurs as a result of nerve pressure and a weak immune system... In Bell's palsy, by attacking the facial nerves and disrupting them, the virus is able to temporarily cause inflammation and facial paralysis so that by eliminating the inflammation and stopping the virus, this paralysis will disappear.... As a result, after encountering such a scene, you should not lose yourself and think that in most cases the paralysis is permanent or temporary.. a few weeks... #### What are the symptoms of Bell's palsy?... After the body is exposed to a virus, for example, in a cold, ear, eye or tooth infection, etc., a person may have symptoms such as the inability to brush teeth, Waking up with a smile and general paralysis of the face.. Bell's palsy is characterized by a withered appearance on one side of the face and the inability to open and close the eyes on both sides.. It can be seen on both sides of the eye. - Drooling due to the inability to close it - Dry mouth and bad breath - Dry lips - Difficulty in eating, drinking and drinking - Disturbance in facial expressions such as laughing, smiling, frowning, etc. - Weakness in the face and a feeling of stiffness in it - Inability to close the eyes completely - Eye tears - Dry eyes and as a result the possibility of eye infection - Headache - Sensitivity to sound and tinnitus, especially if the inflammation is close to the ear muscles - Eye irritation - Pain in jaw and ear - Decreased taste due to dry mouth - Disappearance of the gap between the upper lip and nose If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately.. You should never diagnose Bell's palsy on your own... Bell's palsy symptoms can mimic those of more serious conditions such as a tumor or stroke.. ### What causes Bell's palsy?. This condition occurs when the seventh cranial nerve becomes inflamed or compressed, leading to facial weakness or paralysis. The exact cause of this injury is unknown, but many medical researchers believe that a viral infection is the most likely cause of the process. Viruses and bacteria that have been associated with Bell's palsy include: - Herpes simplex which causes herpes and genital herpes... - AIDS which damages the immune system... - Sarcoidosis which causes inflammation of the organs... - Herpes zoster virus which causes chicken pox and shingles... - Epstein-Barr virus which causes mononucleosis (infectious disease)... ##### What are the risk factors for Bell's palsy? Size affects... but it is more common in some people who have the following: - Diabetes - Pregnancy, especially the third trimester of pregnancy and the first week after delivery - Migraine - Family history - Autoimmune diseases - Weakness of the immune system - Infections - Chemotherapy - Some medicines - Smoking - High blood pressure - Age fifteen to sixty years #### Is Bell's palsy permanent?.. According to the Southern Cross Journal, up to 90 percent of cases recover completely within six to twelve weeks of the onset of symptoms.. In a small percentage of people, symptoms may not completely resolve and some degree of paralysis may remain permanently.. Those who are 60 years or older have a lower chance of a full recovery and a higher chance of permanent paralysis. Feeling ridiculed, you can talk to the teacher or his school counselor so that your child is not harmed... The child's friends and family should be reminded that this disease is not contagious, it is not permanent, and the child should not be afraid of being rejected... ### What is the treatment for Bell's palsy? In the first stage, you should take anti-inflammatory steroid drugs such as premisolone for a period of time (about ten days) to reduce the inflammation of your face... Note that if you do not take these anti-inflammatory steroid drugs, the probability of your nerves recovering is about 15 to 20%, and by taking the drug, the probability of your recovery increases... and the mechanism of its effect is to try to heal nerves by inhibiting chemicals such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Yes... - In addition, along with taking this drug, you should also take antiviral drugs (such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, etc.) to prevent the virus from multiplying.... - Also, since in this disease the person is not able to close the eyes... it is better to use artificial tears, hypoallergenic glue or eye pads to prevent the eyes from drying out.... - In addition to the mentioned drug treatments, doing physical therapy will prevent the muscles from drying out and make them work better... if you have this problem, swallow, it is better to chew your food slowly and make it easier for your throat (with desserts such as throat, prevent the desserts from sticking to the throat).. but if Even if it is difficult for you to eat and chew, you can receive food through a nasogastric tube with the help of home nurses.. - By heating the affected area, it can stimulate the blood flow to that part, and as a result, the inflammation is resolved faster.... - In this disease, muscle contraction usually occurs and as a result of its fatigue, which reduces the muscle with less surgery and in more severe cases.. The person's face can be improved.. #### What disorders or diseases are confused with Bell's palsy Can it be?.. - A blow to the head - Lyme disease - Growth of a mass in the ear, brain or parathyroid gland - stroke (quick medical action is required in this case) - Ramsay-Hunt syndrome - Guillain-Barré syndrome - Myasthenia gravis - Sarcoidosis #### How is Bell's palsy diagnosed and by which doctor?.. The diagnosis of this disease can only be made by a neurologist.... Remember that you should not act ignorantly and call it temporary Bell's palsy when faced with any facial paralysis because if the cause of your facial paralysis is a stroke, it can be transferred to other parts of the body.... As a result, the main cause of this paralysis must be diagnosed by a doctor immediately and treatments such as physiotherapy should be done.... One of the differences between the two The disease is that a person with Bell's palsy cannot move his forehead and eyebrows, and this is like a person who has had a stroke.... Remember that the sooner the inflammation is diagnosed, the sooner it is diagnosed.. The patient returns to normal life and does not suffer from the long-term effects of this disease... Therefore, immediately after seeing the symptoms of this disease and facial paralysis, see a neurologist or an otolaryngologist... The diagnosis of this disease is a differential diagnosis... to diagnose.... If the doctor suspects this disease, he tries to close the patient's eyes during the examination if the patient's eyes are not closed. Deviation upwards and outwards... In other examinations, the doctor asks you to move your muscles with movements such as raising your eyebrows, showing your teeth, etc.... The doctor may also do an electromyography... Electromyography is a method used to check nerve damage and its severity. Like an MRI or a CT scan, it is possible to understand whether the factor that caused the pressure on the nerve was a mass or a tumor in the face or something like a skull fracture caused this condition... These complications disappear after a few days.. Complications such as: - Bloating and abdominal pain - Acne and pimples - Sleep problem - Dry skin - Headache and dizziness - Increased appetite - Increased sweating - Indigestion - Change in mood - Nausea oral thrush - Fatigue Remember that if you are allergic to this drug and you show symptoms such as redness, itching, swelling of the face and lips, inflammation, hives, shortness of breath, etc., do not use it yourself under any circumstances.. How to do facial exercises to improve Bell's palsy at home... As the nerve begins to heal, muscle relaxation and tightening can increase muscle tone following this process.. - Raise and lower your eyebrows, hold and then frown. - Wrinkle your nose, take a deep breath and try to narrow your nostrils... - Pull the corners of your mouth outwards with a smile... - Pull one side of your mouth with your hand and try to smile until enough tension is created in your muscles... - Open and close your eyes tightly... - Keep your head still and draw up in front of your eyes with a pen to stimulate your eyes... or down with your index finger... - Massage yourself to avoid Stiffness of the eyebrows.... - Open and close your eyelids slowly without using your hands... and try to keep your eyes half open.... ### How is Bell's palsy treated?... In most cases, the symptoms of Bell's palsy will improve without treatment... However, it may take weeks to months for the muscles to regain their normal strength... The following treatment can help a person: ### Medicines - Corticosteroid medications that reduce inflammation - Antibacterial or antiviral medications that may be prescribed if Bell's palsy is caused by a bacterial or viral agent... - Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen that can help relieve mild pain... - Eye drops ### home treatment - Using eye glue (for dry eyes) - Facial massage - Physiotherapy exercises to stimulate facial muscles ### What are the potential complications of Bell's palsy? Most people with Bell's palsy recover completely without complications. However, complications may occur in some severe cases of Bell's palsy. These include: - the 7th cranial nerve may be damaged... this nerve controls the facial muscles.... - the person may have dry eyes which can lead to eye infections, ulcers or even blindness... for example the eyes are closed when smiling... what is recovery like for people with Bell's palsy?.. the future outlook for people with Bell's palsy is usually good.. the recovery period can vary depending on the severity and nerve damage.. in general, although people can have up to two weeks after the initial symptoms see improvement, most people recover completely within 3-6 months, although it may take longer for people with more severe cases of Bell's palsy.. In rare cases, symptoms may be permanent.. See your palsy. Call your doctor right away.... Immediate treatment can help speed up your recovery and prevent any complications.... ### Is it possible to get Bell's palsy again? Recurring slow...if for any reason the nerve number seven, which is special for the face, is pressed again, you may suffer from Bell's palsy again...so try to keep calm in such situations and return to your previous state as soon as possible by visiting a doctor and taking physiotherapy medicine and doing physiotherapy before #Pal #Pal.... As mentioned, the main cause of Bell's palsy is unknown and this factor makes it difficult to prevent it, but you can see a doctor as soon as the symptoms start and the treatment begins to recover faster and prevent further nerve damage... Dr. Majid Kihani, neurologist in Tehran Dr. Fard Cosmic Neurology Clinic