Bell’s palsy is a condition that occurs when the facial nerve becomes irritated.
The facial nerve runs from the brain through a small hole in the
skull. Sometimes the facial nerve becomes irritated or swollen. The irritated
nerve does not send normal signals to the muscles on one side of the face.
The result is partial or complete loss of muscle function (called “palsy”).
The symptoms of Bell’s palsy begin suddenly and usually worsen over
two to five days. The sudden numbness or weakness characteristic of Bell’s
palsy gets worse during the day, and the face feels stiff and pulls to one
side. People with Bell’s palsy typically have problems closing one eye and
cannot wrinkle their forehead. They may feel pain behind the ear, they
may experience involuntary facial movements called “tics,” and hearing
in the ear on the affected side may be very sensitive. They also may drool
and have trouble eating and talking.
People with a stroke can look like they have Bell’s palsy, so it is important
to visit a doctor to find out what is causing facial paralysis. People
with Bell’s palsy often fear a brain tumor, but the symptoms of a brain
tumor usually occur more gradually than the sudden start of Bell’s palsy.
Ramsey Hunt syndrome is similar to Bell’s palsy with symptoms that
are so much alike, patients with Ramsey Hunt syndrome may be misdiagnosed
as having Bell’s palsy. There are, however, some key differences that
differentiate it from Bell’s palsy. These symptoms include severe pain inside
the ear region (which may begin even before the onset of facial paralysis);
a spinning sensation of dizziness; hearing loss; blisters (also known as
shingles) in or around the ear, mouth, or throat; and sore lymph nodes.
Ramsey Hunt syndrome is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV).
This virus, a strain of the herpes virus, also causes chicken pox. This virus
may remain dormant in the body for decades, which explains why individuals
over the age of 50 are most often afflicted.
