~What is Bell’s Palsy?~
Bell’s Palsy can occur at any age, but is usually seen between the ages of 15 to 60 years young. It is a response to a swollen or compressed facial nerve, aka 7th nerve! Tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy each year.
~Symptoms~
With Bell’s Palsy people may experience stroke like symptoms, but if they only affect the face it is more than likely not a stroke but Bell’s Palsy. Symptoms are different for each person but may include stiffness of the face, an odd feeling, drawing or drooping of the face, pain around the ear, taste lose, headaches, or simply paralysis of an individuals face. Symptoms normally begin to get better within a few weeks and total recovery can be expected in six months or less. Reoccurring symptoms happen in 8-10% of those with Bell’s Palsy.
~Treatments~
Medications or physical therapy may be needed for individuals that do not fully recover from Bell’s Palsy. Corticosteroids and antiviral medications are the two types normally prescribed for Bell’s Palsy. These anti-inflammatory drugs are used to decrease the swelling of the facial nerves therefore minimizing the symptoms if not eliminating them completely. Physical therapy may be used to prevent tightening of the paralyzed muscles. And, surgery can be done to open the bony spaces that the nerves pass through, if none of the others work.
Bell’s Palsy can occur at any age, but is usually seen between the ages of 15 to 60 years young. It is a response to a swollen or compressed facial nerve, aka 7th nerve! Tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy each year.
~Symptoms~
With Bell’s Palsy people may experience stroke like symptoms, but if they only affect the face it is more than likely not a stroke but Bell’s Palsy. Symptoms are different for each person but may include stiffness of the face, an odd feeling, drawing or drooping of the face, pain around the ear, taste lose, headaches, or simply paralysis of an individuals face. Symptoms normally begin to get better within a few weeks and total recovery can be expected in six months or less. Reoccurring symptoms happen in 8-10% of those with Bell’s Palsy.
~Treatments~
Medications or physical therapy may be needed for individuals that do not fully recover from Bell’s Palsy. Corticosteroids and antiviral medications are the two types normally prescribed for Bell’s Palsy. These anti-inflammatory drugs are used to decrease the swelling of the facial nerves therefore minimizing the symptoms if not eliminating them completely. Physical therapy may be used to prevent tightening of the paralyzed muscles. And, surgery can be done to open the bony spaces that the nerves pass through, if none of the others work.
Information from MayoClinic.com and image from http://www.wondersprouts.com/bells-palsy-picture.JPG & http://www.ispub.com/xml/journals/ijorl/vol4n2/herpes-fig3.jpg
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