Bells palsy which nerve

Facial paralysis The nerve that controls your facial muscles passes through a narrow corridor of bone on its way to your face. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Bope ET, et al. Acute facial paralysis. In: Conn's Current Therapy Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed Feb.

Bell palsy. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Bell's palsy fact sheet. Because the facial nerve has so many functions and is so complex, damage to the nerve or a disruption in its function can lead to many problems.

Symptoms of Bell's palsy can vary from person to person and range in severity from mild weakness to total paralysis. The most common symptom is sudden weakness of one side of the face.

Other symptoms may include drooping of the mouth, drooling, inability to close eye causing dryness of the eye , and excessive tearing in one eye.

Individuals may also have facial pain or abnormal sensation, altered taste, and intolerance to loud noise.

Most often these symptoms lead to significant facial distortion. The cause of Bell's palsy is unknown. Most scientists believe that reactivation of an existing dormant viral infection may cause the disorder.

Impaired immunity from stress, sleep deprivation, physical trauma, minor illness or autoimmune syndromes are suggested as the most likely triggers. As the facial nerve swells and becomes inflamed in reaction to the infection, it causes pressure within the Fallopian canal a bony canal through which the nerve travels to the side of the face , leading to the restriction of blood and oxygen to the nerve cells. In some mild cases where recovery is rapid, there is damage only to the myelin sheath the fatty covering that acts as insulation of nerve fibers.

Several other conditions can also cause facial paralysis, for example, brain tumor, stroke, myasthenia gravis , and Lyme disease. If no specific cause can be identified, the condition can be diagnosed as Bell's palsy. It can affect anyone of any gender and age, but its incidence seems to be highest in those in the to year-old age group. A diagnosis of Bell's palsy is made based on clinical presentation—acute facial nerve weakness or paralysis on one side of the face with onset in less than 72 hours—and by ruling out other possible causes of facial paralysis.

There is no specific laboratory test to confirm diagnosis of the disorder. These tests may include:. Otherwise, the symptoms are treated as needed. One uniformly recommended treatment for Bell's palsy is protecting the eye from drying at night or while working at a computer. Eye care may include eye drops during the day, ointment at bedtime, or a moisture chamber at night. This helps protect the cornea from being scratched, which is crucial to the management of Bell's palsy.

Your healthcare provider will prescribe other treatment for your condition based on the severity of your symptoms and your health history. Other treatment options include:. Some people may choose to use alternative therapies in the treatment of Bell's palsy, but there is no proof they make a difference in recovery.

Such treatment may include:. It is, therefore, important to protect the eye from drying at night or while working at a computer. This helps protect the cornea from being scratched. It is important, however, to take medicines as directed. It is also crucial that you protect the affected eye from drying.

Use of eye drops during the day and ointment at bedtime can protect the cornea from scratching. The ailment can affect 1 in 60 people during their lifetime. Recurrent herpes simplex labialis is a condition of the mouth caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Coronary artery disease reduces blood flow to your heart. Learn how to recognize coronary artery disease symptoms, how to manage the symptoms, and…. An eyelid twitch is when your eyelid muscles involuntarily spasm repetitively. The twitches are painless and harmless, but they may bother you.

A stroke happens when the blood flow to your brain is interrupted. Facial paralysis is a loss of facial movement due to nerve damage. Learn more about the causes and treatments of facial paralysis.