How frightening would it be to wake up with no control of one side of your face? Bell's palsy can be weakness or paralysis of muscles that control a side of face. It may be a result of swelling of the facial nerve which would exert pressure on the nerve. This onset can be within a day or two or just a matter of hours. A person's face who is suffering from Bell's may appear droopy. Some other signs include facial stiffness, pain behind infront or inside of ear, sounds louder in that affected ear, headache, or loss of taster front of tongue. Bell's palsy can occur at any age but is most common in pregnant women, diabetics, or people with weaker immune systems. Babies can also be born with it. However, stroke, infections and tumors may also mimic the signs of Bell's palsy. A doctor may suggest an Electromyography (EMG) which measurses electrical activity in a muscle or and MRI or CT of the head.
In most cases, those that are considered mild, Bell's palsy dissapears withing a month. With more severe cases, the nerves may be permantly damaged. Most of the time, a patient will heal fine without any treatment. As of now, there is no treatment that is certain to eliminate it but may help. Some treatments may include anti-inflammatory medication, antiviral medication, or facial massage. It is very important to protect the affected side's eye with Bell's palsy. Using an eye patch and artificial tears will help protect the cornea of the eye. Although no one would want to have Bell's palsy, in most cases the it does clear up within a few weeks to a few months.
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