Bells palsy is paralysis or symptoms associated with bells palsy. Bells palsy causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment. Bells palsy occurs when the nerve that controls the facial muscles is swollen, inflamed, or compressed, resulting in facial weakness or paralysis. Thats what people with bells palsy experience, and thats just one sign of it. Most scientists believe that a viral infection such as viral meningitis or the common cold sore virusherpes simplexcauses the disorder. They believe that the facial nerve swells and becomes inflamed in reaction to the infection, causing pressure within the fallopian canal and leading to. Bells palsy is when theres weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face, caused by damage to the seventh cranial nerve, which is the facial nerve. What is the pathophysiology of bell palsy idiopathic. Common signs of bells palsy are weakness of muscles on one side of the face, drooping eyelid or mouth on one side, or drooling from one side of the mouth picture 1. In general, bell s palsy occurs when function of the facial nerve is disrupted by swelling, inflammation, or compression. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The precise pathophysiology of bell palsy remains an area of debate.
The facial nerve courses through a portion of the temporal bone commonly referred to as the facial canal. Bells palsy pathophysiology for nurses bells palsy. Its believed to be the result of swelling and inflammation of the nerve that controls the muscles on one side of your face. Bells palsy is a condition in which the muscles on one side of your face become weak or paralyzed. Viral reactivation in temporal ganglia is the suspected cause of bells palsy, vestibular neuritis. Bell palsy, also termed idiopathic facial paralysis ifp, is the most common cause of unilateral facial paralysis. This lesson goes over other signs and symptoms associated with bells.
Other conditions such as a stroke, infections, lyme disease and tumors can also cause facial muscle weakness, mimicking. In his clinical practice article on bells palsy, gilden sept. The etiology of bell s palsy has not been definitively identified, but viral infection, vascular ischemia, or autoimmune diseases have been postulated as possible causes 2. Your doctor will look at your face and ask you to move your facial muscles by closing your eyes, lifting your brow, showing your teeth and frowning, among other movements. Pdf bells palsy is the most common condition involving a rapid and unilateral onset of peripheral paresisparalysis of the seventh cranial nerve. Bells palsy, which is the most common form of facial nerve palsy, can be a very terrifying condition for a person to have because any form of facial paralysis creates a. Bells palsy is a condition where one side of your face droops or feels weak.
It affects only one side of the face at a time, causing it. Bells palsy, also known as acute peripheral facial palsy of unknown cause, can occur at any age. Bells palsy is an acuteonset peripheral facial neuropathy and is the most common cause of lower motor neuron facial palsy. This causes the facial muscles to become weak or paralyzed. Exactly what causes this damage, however, is unknown. Bells palsy is a condition in which the nerve that controls the muscles of the face becomes injured or even stops working altogether. It is one of the most common neurologic disorders of the cranial nerves see the.
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