Bell's palsy is a type of facial paralysis that results in a temporary inability to control the facial muscles on the affected side of the face.
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13 Facts About Bell's palsy
2.
Bell's palsy is the most common cause of one-sided facial nerve paralysis.
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3.
Bell's palsy is characterized by a one-sided facial droop that comes on within 72 hours.
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4.
Bell's palsy is the result of a malfunction of the facial nerve, which controls the muscles of the face.
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5.
Facial palsy is typified by inability to move the muscles of facial expression.
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6.
Bell's palsy is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning it is diagnosed by elimination of other reasonable possibilities.
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7.
The likelihood that the facial palsy is caused by Lyme disease should be estimated, based on recent history of outdoor activities in likely tick habitats during warmer months, recent history of rash or symptoms such as headache and fever, and whether the palsy affects both sides of the face.
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8.
The prognosis for Bell's palsy patients is generally much better than for Ramsay Hunt syndrome type 2 patients.
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9.
When Bell's palsy affects the blink reflex and stops the eye from closing completely, frequent use of tear-like eye drops or eye ointments is recommended during the day and protecting the eyes with patches or taping them shut is recommended for sleep and rest periods.
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10.
Bell's palsy affects about 40,000 people in the United States every year.
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11.
Bell's palsy is not a reportable disease, and there are no established registries for people with this diagnosis, which complicates precise estimation.
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12.
Cornelis Stalpart van der Wiel in 1683 gave an account of Bell's palsy and credited the Persian physician Ibn Sina for describing this condition before him.
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13.
Bell's palsy became the first to detail the neuroanatomical basis of facial paralysis.
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