BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuBell palsyFacial palsy; Idiopathic peripheral facial palsy; Cranial mononeuropathy - Bell palsy; Bell's palsyBell palsy is a disorder of the nerve that controls movement of the muscles in the face. This nerve is called the facial or seventh cranial nerve.Damage to this nerve causes weakness or paralysis of these muscles. Paralysis means that you cannot use the muscles at all.ParalysisFacial paralysis means that a person is no longer able to move some or all of the muscles on one or both sides of the face.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Bell palsy can affect people of any age, most commonly those over age 65 years. It can also affect children younger than 10 years. Males and females are equally affected.Bell palsy is thought to be due to swelling (inflammation) of the facial nerve in the area where it travels through the bones of the skull. This nerve controls movement of the muscles of the face.The cause is often not clear. A type of herpes infection called herpes simplex or herpes zoster might be involved. Other conditions that may cause Bell palsy include:Herpes zosterShingles is a painful, blistering skin rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, a member of the herpes family of viruses. This is the viru...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article HIV/AIDS infection HIV/AIDS infectionAsymptomatic HIV infection is the second stage of HIV/AIDS. During this stage, there are no symptoms of HIV infection. This stage is also called ch...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lyme disease Lyme diseaseLyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of one of several types of ticks.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Middle ear infection Ear infectionOtitis is a term for infection or inflammation of the ear.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sarcoidosis (inflammation of the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, or other tissues)SarcoidosisSarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, and/or other tissues.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Having diabetes and being pregnant may increase the risk for Bell palsy. Symptoms Sometimes, you may have a cold shortly before the symptoms of Bell palsy begin.Symptoms most often start suddenly, but may take 2 to 3 days to show up. They do not become more severe after that.Symptoms are almost always on one side of the face only. They may range from mild to severe.Many people feel discomfort behind the ear before weakness is noticed. The face feels stiff or pulled to one side and may look different. Other signs can include:Difficulty closing one eye Difficulty eating and drinking because food falls out of one side of the mouth Drooling due to lack of control over the muscles of the face DroolingDrooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Drooping of the face, such as the eyelid or corner of the mouth Problems smiling, grimacing, or making facial expressions Twitching or weakness of the muscles in the face Other symptoms that may occur:Dry eye, 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 TasteTaste impairment means there is a problem with your sense of taste. Problems range from distorted taste to a complete loss of the sense of taste. A...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sound that is louder in one ear (hyperacusis) Exams and Tests Often, Bell palsy can be diagnosed just by taking a health history and doing a complete physical exam.Blood tests will be done to look for medical problems such as Lyme disease, which may cause Bell palsy. Sometimes, a test is needed to check the nerves that supply the muscles of the face:Electromyography (EMG) to check the health of the facial muscles and the nerves that control the muscles EMGElectromyography (EMG) is a test that checks the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve conduction test to check how fast electrical signals move through a nerveNerve conduction testNerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test to see how fast electrical signals move through a nerve. This test is done along with electromyography (EM...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If your health care provider is worried there is another cause for your symptoms, you may need:CT scan of the head CT scan of the headA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the headMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the...A head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Often, no treatment is needed. Symptoms often begin to improve right away. But, it may take weeks or even months for the muscles to get stronger.Your provider may give you lubricating eye drops or eye ointments to keep the surface of the eye moist if you can't close it completely. You may need to wear an eye patch while you sleep.Sometimes, medicines may be used, but it isn't known how much they help. If medicines are used, they are started right away. Common medicines are:Corticosteroids, which may reduce swelling around the facial nerve Medicines such as valacyclovir to fight the virus that may be causing Bell palsySurgery to relieve pressure on the nerve (decompression surgery) has not been shown to benefit most people with Bell palsy. Outlook (Prognosis) Most cases go away completely within a few weeks to months.If you did not lose all of your nerve function and symptoms began to improve within 3 weeks, you are more likely to regain all or most of the strength in your facial muscles.Sometimes, the following symptoms may still be present:Long-term changes in taste Spasms of muscles or eyelids Weakness that remains in facial muscles Possible Complications Complications may include:Eye surface becoming dry, leading to eye sores, infections, and vision loss Swelling in the muscles due to loss of nerve function When to Contact a Medical Professional Call your provider right away if your face droops or you have other symptoms of Bell palsy. Your provider can rule out other, more serious conditions, such as stroke. Prevention There is no known way to prevent Bell palsy.Open ReferencesReferencesNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Bell's palsy. www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/bells-palsy. Updated February 7, 2023. Accessed May 3, 2023.Ryan MM. Bell palsy. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 635.Schlieve T, Miloro M, Kolokythas A. Diagnosis and management of trigeminal and facial nerve injuries. In: Fonseca RJ, ed. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 5.Wallenstein J. Brain and cranial nerve disorders. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 91.AllVideoImagesTogFacial drooping - illustration Facial drooping can be caused by a disorder such as Bell's palsy. This disorder is a mononeuropathy (involvement of a single nerve) that damages the seventh cranial (facial) nerve. The facial nerve controls movement of the muscles of the face. Facial droopingillustrationFacial drooping - illustration Facial drooping can be caused by a disorder such as Bell's palsy. This disorder is a mononeuropathy (involvement of a single nerve) that damages the seventh cranial (facial) nerve. The facial nerve controls movement of the muscles of the face. Facial droopingillustrationRelated Information Facial paralysis(Symptoms)Acute(Special Topic)Peripheral neuropathy(Condition)Incidence(Special Topic)Mononeuropathy(Condition)Head injury - first aid(Injury)Tumor(Condition)Corneal ulcers and infections(Condition)Chronic(Special Topic) Review Date: 4/25/2022 Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. 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Bell palsyFacial palsy; Idiopathic peripheral facial palsy; Cranial mononeuropathy - Bell palsy; Bell's palsyBell palsy is a disorder of the nerve that controls movement of the muscles in the face. This nerve is called the facial or seventh cranial nerve.Damage to this nerve causes weakness or paralysis of these muscles. Paralysis means that you cannot use the muscles at all.ParalysisFacial paralysis means that a person is no longer able to move some or all of the muscles on one or both sides of the face.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Bell palsy can affect people of any age, most commonly those over age 65 years. It can also affect children younger than 10 years. Males and females are equally affected.Bell palsy is thought to be due to swelling (inflammation) of the facial nerve in the area where it travels through the bones of the skull. This nerve controls movement of the muscles of the face.The cause is often not clear. A type of herpes infection called herpes simplex or herpes zoster might be involved. Other conditions that may cause Bell palsy include:Herpes zosterShingles is a painful, blistering skin rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, a member of the herpes family of viruses. This is the viru...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article HIV/AIDS infection HIV/AIDS infectionAsymptomatic HIV infection is the second stage of HIV/AIDS. During this stage, there are no symptoms of HIV infection. This stage is also called ch...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lyme disease Lyme diseaseLyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of one of several types of ticks.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Middle ear infection Ear infectionOtitis is a term for infection or inflammation of the ear.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sarcoidosis (inflammation of the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, or other tissues)SarcoidosisSarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, and/or other tissues.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Having diabetes and being pregnant may increase the risk for Bell palsy. Symptoms Sometimes, you may have a cold shortly before the symptoms of Bell palsy begin.Symptoms most often start suddenly, but may take 2 to 3 days to show up. They do not become more severe after that.Symptoms are almost always on one side of the face only. They may range from mild to severe.Many people feel discomfort behind the ear before weakness is noticed. The face feels stiff or pulled to one side and may look different. Other signs can include:Difficulty closing one eye Difficulty eating and drinking because food falls out of one side of the mouth Drooling due to lack of control over the muscles of the face DroolingDrooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Drooping of the face, such as the eyelid or corner of the mouth Problems smiling, grimacing, or making facial expressions Twitching or weakness of the muscles in the face Other symptoms that may occur:Dry eye, 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 TasteTaste impairment means there is a problem with your sense of taste. Problems range from distorted taste to a complete loss of the sense of taste. A...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sound that is louder in one ear (hyperacusis) Exams and Tests Often, Bell palsy can be diagnosed just by taking a health history and doing a complete physical exam.Blood tests will be done to look for medical problems such as Lyme disease, which may cause Bell palsy. Sometimes, a test is needed to check the nerves that supply the muscles of the face:Electromyography (EMG) to check the health of the facial muscles and the nerves that control the muscles EMGElectromyography (EMG) is a test that checks the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve conduction test to check how fast electrical signals move through a nerveNerve conduction testNerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test to see how fast electrical signals move through a nerve. This test is done along with electromyography (EM...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If your health care provider is worried there is another cause for your symptoms, you may need:CT scan of the head CT scan of the headA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the headMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the...A head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Often, no treatment is needed. Symptoms often begin to improve right away. But, it may take weeks or even months for the muscles to get stronger.Your provider may give you lubricating eye drops or eye ointments to keep the surface of the eye moist if you can't close it completely. You may need to wear an eye patch while you sleep.Sometimes, medicines may be used, but it isn't known how much they help. If medicines are used, they are started right away. Common medicines are:Corticosteroids, which may reduce swelling around the facial nerve Medicines such as valacyclovir to fight the virus that may be causing Bell palsySurgery to relieve pressure on the nerve (decompression surgery) has not been shown to benefit most people with Bell palsy. Outlook (Prognosis) Most cases go away completely within a few weeks to months.If you did not lose all of your nerve function and symptoms began to improve within 3 weeks, you are more likely to regain all or most of the strength in your facial muscles.Sometimes, the following symptoms may still be present:Long-term changes in taste Spasms of muscles or eyelids Weakness that remains in facial muscles Possible Complications Complications may include:Eye surface becoming dry, leading to eye sores, infections, and vision loss Swelling in the muscles due to loss of nerve function When to Contact a Medical Professional Call your provider right away if your face droops or you have other symptoms of Bell palsy. Your provider can rule out other, more serious conditions, such as stroke. Prevention There is no known way to prevent Bell palsy.Open ReferencesReferencesNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Bell's palsy. www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/bells-palsy. Updated February 7, 2023. Accessed May 3, 2023.Ryan MM. Bell palsy. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 635.Schlieve T, Miloro M, Kolokythas A. Diagnosis and management of trigeminal and facial nerve injuries. In: Fonseca RJ, ed. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 5.Wallenstein J. Brain and cranial nerve disorders. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 91.