Bells PalsyBy Shannon Gamez

Oh my Gosh Im having a Stroke!You wake up one morning, and your face feels stiff and odd. When you look in a mirror, half your face appears to droop. You can only manage half a smile, your eye is dripping tears and doesn't want to close. What in the world is going on?

No silly its Bells PalsyIf your muscle weakness or paralysis affects only your face, a more likely cause is Bell's palsy.Defined as temporary facial paralysis Trauma or damage to the 2 facial nerves

Who is this Bell guy?Charles BellWell known for his studies on the nervous system and the brainIn the 19th century discovered that lesions of the 7th cranial nerve causes facial paralysis

What nerve was that again?The 7th cranial nerve is paired with thestructure that travels through a narrow, bony canal (called the Fallopian canal) in the skull beneath the ear to the muscles on each side of the face.The nerve is mostly encased in this bony shell.

Facial NerveEach nerve controls:Eye blinking and closingFacial expressionsSmiling and frowningTear glandsSaliva glandsMuscle of small bone in middle of ear called the stapesTaste sensations

S/SVaries from person to personComes on suddenlyMild to total paralysisWeakness, twitching on one of both sides of the faceFacial and eyelid droopDroolingDryness of eye or mouthImpairment of tasteExcessive tearing of eye

Other S/SPain or discomfort in jaw and behind the earRinging in one or both earsLoss of tasteHeadacheHypersensitivity to soundImpaired speechDizzinessDifficulty eating and drinking

What Causes This?It occurs when the facial nerve is swollen, inflamed, or compressed

So what causes the damage?Mostly unknownMay be caused by a viral infectionViral meningitisHerpes simplexInfluenzaHeadachesChronic ear infectionsHigh blood pressureDiabetesSarcoidosis TumorsLyme diseasetrauma

Who can get this?Affects 40,000 Americans each yearMen and women equally affectedCan occur at any ageMostly after 15 and before 60 y/oOccurs more often in people who:Are pregnantAre diabeticHave an upper respiratory infection

DiagnosedThere are no specific lab tests to confirm diagnosisWill exam for upper and lower facial weaknessElectromyographyConfirm presence of damage and determine severityMRI and CTr/o causes of pressure on nerve

TreatmentNo real TreatmentSymptoms usually subside Anti-inflammatory and an antiviral Prednisone and acyclovir Increases the chance of recoveryAcupuncture and surgeryFor long term paralysis

Treatment Cont.Hard to close eyeUse and eye patchEye dropsTape eye shut when sleeping

When does it go away?Outcome is good!!!Total recovery depends on amount of damage to nerve Improvement is gradualUsually start to get better after 2 weeks of onset and most recover completely within 3 to 6 months. In a few cases, the symptoms may never completely disappear. In rare cases, the disorder may recur, either on the same or the opposite side of the face.

Thats interestingFamous people that have had Bells palsyRoseanne Barr, American actress and comedianStevie Benton, Bassist for Texas rock band, Drowning PoolPierce Brosnan, Irish actor and producerGeorge Clooney, American actor, director, producer and screenwriterAlexis Denisof, ActorGraeme Garden, British comedy writer and performer, who has written about his experiences with the conditionTony Gonzalez, American NFL football player Jane Greer, actress, had when 15 y/o

The list goes onKatie Holmes, Actress Ralph Kiner, American baseball player in the 1940s and 1950s Amy Goodman, American journalist and author Curtis LeMay, was a general in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of independent candidate George C. Wallace in 1968Ralph Nader, American author, activist, politicianJim Ross, professional wrestling announcer for WWE RAW Rick Savage, British musician and bassist for Def LeppardJamey Sheridan, American actor. His condition was written into the show Law and Order: Criminal Intent and his character Captain James Deakins also had Bell's palsy.Joseph C. Wilson, American diplomatMilo Ventimiglia, Actor

My sources tell mewww.bellspalsy.org.ukBells palsy associationHcd2.bupa.com.ukEn.wikipedia.org