Bell’s Palsy is a neurological condition where affected persons suffer from temporary facial paralysis. This usually affects only one side of your face, causing it to droop and making it appear as though you have a lopsided smile. While Bell’s Palsy can look and seem serious, it rarely causes long-term problems and often goes away on its own.
Bell’s Palsy is caused by inflammation in the seventh cranial nerve, which results in swelling. The inflammation can stem from a number of things, including infections, but many cases of Bell’s Palsy do not have a discernible cause. While most cases of Bell’s Palsy go away on their own, you can speed up the process with treatment.
Additionally, because the symptoms of Bell’s Palsy are similar to those of a stroke and other medical conditions, it is important to get a diagnosis to ensure you do not have a serious medical problem.
In many instances, Bell’s Palsy is a side effect of an underlying condition, such as a virus or infection. For instance, certain types of upper respiratory conditions caused by viruses can lead to Bell’s Palsy. Additionally, infections, such as ear and mouth infections, can also cause inflammation and swelling around the seventh cranial nerve, resulting in Bell’s Palsy.
When Bell’s Palsy stems from a virus or infection, the key to treating it is to cure the underlying condition. This could mean taking antibiotics and antivirals to eradicate the virus or infection that is causing it.
Bell’s Palsy can also happen to people who have a weakened immune system. Therefore, by boosting your immune system with essential vitamins and minerals, you can prevent Bell’s Palsy from occurring in the first place.
Corticosteroids are another common treatment for people with Bell’s Palsy. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone and budesonide, reduce inflammation and swelling in the body, including around your cranial nerves. Because Bell’s Palsy is caused by inflammation in your head, corticosteroids can quickly cure your symptoms.
Whether you receive treatment or not, it can take some time for Bell’s Palsy to go away. Therefore, you may need treatments to deal with the symptoms of Bell’s Palsy until it resolves, as well as to protect the affected eye. This is necessary because the eyelid on the droopy side of your face cannot close, leaving your eye unprotected.
To combat this, you may need to take eye drops or artificial tears to keep your eye moist. Wearing an eye patch is also a good option to protect your eye from dust, dirt, and injury.
In rare cases, a temporary bout of Bell’s Palsy can cause permanent damage to the muscles on the side of your face that gets paralyzed. To help you regain control and strength of these facial muscles, you may need physical therapy. A physical therapist can teach you important exercises as well as massage tricks to help your facial muscles recover.
While Bell’s Palsy can be frightening, and you should always seek a diagnosis when you have any form of paralysis, most cases of Bell’s Palsy resolve on their own. Treatments and medications can speed up your recovery but may not be necessary, pending your doctor’s advice. In the past, other treatments like surgery and electrical stimulation were used to treat Bell’s Palsy, but these treatments are now considered unwise and unnecessary.