Get the Facts on Bell’s Palsy: Causes & Treatment Options

Have you recently been diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy? Are you seeking more information on the condition, its causes, and potential treatments? You’re not alone. Bell’s Palsy is a common but little-understood facial nerve disorder. Unfortunately, many are unsure where to start when determining options for treating this often debilitating condition.

We’ll explore the ins and outs of Bell’s Palsy in this blog, including its causes and how to start treatment so that you may start feeling well as soon as possible.

What is Bell’s Palsy?

Bell’s Palsy can cause temporary muscle weakness or paralysis in the face. This occurs when the nerve responsible for facial muscle control becomes swollen, inflamed, or compressed.

Bell’s Palsy is a condition that can make one side of your face droop or become stiff, making it difficult for you to smile or close your eye on the affected side. The good news is that the symptoms of this condition typically go away after some weeks (or months) because they tend to be temporary.

Bell’s Palsy, a condition named after the Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, can affect people of all ages, but it is more frequently observed among individuals aged 16 to 60.

Causes of Bell’s Palsy

Facial weakness or paralysis, known as Bell’s Palsy, can occur when the seventh cranial nerve is swollen or compressed. Although the origin of nerve damage is uncertain, many medical specialists think a viral infection may be to blame.

Bell’s Palsy has been linked with various viruses and bacteria such as:

• Herpes simplex (which causes cold sores and genital herpes)
• HIV (which weakens the immune system)
• Sarcoidosis (which causes inflammation of organs)
• Herpes zoster virus (which causes chickenpox and shingles)
• Epstein-Barr virus (which causes mononucleosis)
• Lyme disease (which is a bacterial infection transmitted via tick bites)

According to experts, Bell’s Palsy can be triggered by a dormant viral infection that becomes active due to certain factors. These factors may include stress, recent illness, physical trauma, sleep deprivation, or an autoimmune condition.

The explanation is that an infection can cause the facial nerve to swell, creating pressure in the bony Fallopian canal where the nerve travels through to the side of the face.

Bell’s Palsy is a condition that can cause paralysis of the facial muscles. It occurs when the facial nerve becomes inflamed, which reduces blood flow and oxygen to the nerve cells. There may occasionally be a genetic propensity to acquire the disorder.

Symptoms of Bell’s Palsy

You may catch a cold before Bell’s Palsy symptoms arise. The symptoms usually start suddenly but may take 2 to 3 days to appear. The symptoms will not worsen after that.

Usually, just one side of the face exhibits the symptoms of facial weakness. It is common for people to experience discomfort behind the ear before they notice any weakness. The affected side of the face may feel stiff or pulled, giving it a different appearance than the unaffected side. Other possible signs of facial weakness may also be present.

The symptoms you may experience include the following:

• Difficulty closing one eye
• Having trouble with eating and drinking due to food falling out of one side of the mouth
• Drooling because of lack of control over facial muscles
• Drooping of the eyelid or corner of the mouth
• Problems with smiling
• Grimacing or making facial expressions
• Twitching or weakness of the facial muscles
• Dry eyes, which may lead to eye sores or infections
• Dry mouth
• Headache (if there is an infection such as Lyme Disease)
• Loss of sense of taste
• Hyperacusis, where sound is louder in one ear

Bell’s Palsy – Risk Factors

In spite of the fact that Bell’s Palsy can afflict persons of any gender and age, it seems to happen more commonly in middle-aged adults. Major Bell’s Palsy risk factors include being pregnant, being overweight, and having diabetes.

Bell’s Palsy may be caused by various factors such as:

• Having a pre-existing viral infection
• Having a weakened immune system due to stress
• Lack of sleep
• Physical trauma
• Minor illness or autoimmune syndromes
• Infection and inflammation of a facial nerve
• Damage to the myelin sheath

How is Bell’s Palsy Diagnosed?

To assess the level of weakness in your facial muscles, your doctor will begin with a physical examination. Additionally, they will inquire about your symptoms, such as when they began or when you first experienced them.

Although there is no definitive lab test to confirm a Bell’s palsy diagnosis, your doctor can employ several tests to assist in making the diagnosis.

The tests can help establish whether Lyme disease or Guillain-Barré syndrome—which have distinct treatment options—is to blame for facial paralysis.

Tests that may be performed include:

• Checking for diabetes.
• Checking for bacterial or viral infections in your blood.
• MRI or CT scan of your facial nerves to rule out a stroke or brain tumour.
• An EMG test is when a doctor inserts thin wire electrodes into a muscle to assess nerve damage to the facial muscles and determine its extent.

• Lumbar puncture may be done if Lyme disease is suspected.

Bell’s Palsy – Treatment

Symptoms of this disease will typically get better on their own without any treatment. However, facial muscle recovery could take some time. Here are some recommended treatments that might aid in your recovery.

• Medication – Your doctor may suggest taking corticosteroids to decrease inflammation, antiviral or antibacterial medications for infection, or painkillers for discomfort. Eye drops may also be recommended to keep your affected eye moisturised.

• Home Treatment – Here are a few home remedies that could help with Bell’s Palsy – use an eye patch to alleviate dryness in your eyes; place a warm, damp towel on your face to ease any discomfort; try facial massage to improve facial muscle movement; perform physical therapy exercises that can help stimulate your facial muscles.

Effectively Managing Bell’s Palsy

• Eye Patch – Experts recommend covering your eye with a patch or moisture chamber to prevent dry eye and reduce moisture loss.

• Alternative Therapies – While complementary therapies cannot cure your Bell’s palsy symptoms, they can provide relief. It may be helpful to use your preferred relaxation technique or stress-reducing strategy.

• Artificial Tears or Eye Drops – If you cannot completely close your eyelid or blink, you may develop a severe dry eye condition called exposure keratitis that can damage your cornea if left untreated. Your eye doctor can advise you on how frequently you should use eye drops. It is advised that you use preservative-free eye drops if you need to use more than four drops per day to prevent eye discomfort.

• Rest – Coping with facial paralysis and its effects can be overwhelming. It is advisable to prioritise rest, aim for adequate sleep, and consume nutritious and healthy meals.

• Lubricating Ointment – Applying this thicker ointment before bed will prevent moisture loss in your eye during sleep. However, it may cause blurry vision.

• Surgical Tape – One way to prevent your eyes from becoming dry during the night is to gently close your eyelids using surgical tape before going to bed.

When you wake up, be careful while removing the tape to avoid damaging your eyelids or the surrounding skin.

Conclusion

All in all, Bell’s Palsy can be a distressing and disabling condition, but it is highly possible to recover with the right diagnosis and treatment plan. To lower the chance of acquiring Bell’s Palsy, having a healthy lifestyle and obtaining enough sleep are critical.

Additionally, it’s crucial to get medical help right away if you have facial paralysis or any other signs or symptoms of Bell’s Palsy. You are able to treat the symptoms of this ailment and conquer it with the appropriate support and assistance, along with sensible management techniques.

Remember: knowledge holds the key towards managing this condition – know your risk factors, symptoms and treatment options to make sure that you take steps to ensure your best long-term prognosis.

FAQs

Q. Mention the causes of Bell’s Palsy.

Experts speculate that the nerve that controls the muscles on one side of the face may have been inflamed and swollen, while the exact cause of the disorder is unknown. However, many experts believe that a viral infection may have prompted a response that led to the problem.

Q. Which tests are used to diagnose Bell’s Palsy?

Your doctor will do a physical examination to assess the severity of your face muscle weakness. Tests that could be performed include determining whether you have diabetes, looking for bacterial or viral infections in your bloodstream, scanning your facial nerves using an MRI or CT scan to look for signs of a stroke or brain tumour, etc.

Q. How is Bell’s Palsy treated?

Your doctor can suggest drugs to treat Bell’s Palsy if you are diagnosed with the disorder. However, to improve your chances of making a full recovery, you should ideally start taking oral steroids or an antiviral medication during the first few days of symptoms. Additionally, they may advise using lubricating eye drops or ointment to safeguard the affected eye.

Q. Mention the symptoms of Bell’s Palsy.

Bell’s Palsy can cause the following symptoms: difficulty in closing one eye or a drooping eyelid, difficulty in making facial movements and smiling, drooping in one side of the mouth, trouble eating and drinking, drooling, pain or sensitivity around the affected area, headache, and loss of taste.