Bell's palsy
Disease information
Bell's palsy
Paralysis of Bell.
Paralysis of
a
side of the face.
It takes the name of the first
doctor
who described it.
Affected parts.
One takes place by the affectation of VII the craneal nerve and face muscles controlled by the nerve.
Age.
It affects all the ages, commonest in adults.
To call to the
doctor
if.
It
has
the eye irritated or reddened in spite of the treatment.
It cannot avoid to dribble.
It increases the pain.
It
has
fever.
Prognosis.
The paralysis of Bell is worrisome
but
nondangerous.
The importance of the
injury
determines the
period
of recovery.
The improvement is gradual and the time of recovery is variable, sometimes several months.
The patients with serious face paralysis cure themselves completely in 80% to 90% of the occasions.
Sometimes, the surgery improves the aspect and the
muscular
function
of the patients who do not recover completely.
Complications.
Ocular irritation or
injury
because the eye is not closed absolutely and is exposed to the dust.
Without protection, the eye could
develop
ulcers in the
cornea
.
Diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosis.
File and physical examination by
a
doctor
.
Cerebral
Imaginería (TAC and / or RMN) to discard other causes of the pressure on the face nerve.
General measures.
If it
has
pain, applies heat to the sore zone twice to the day.
Use an electrical pad or you slip
a
towel soaked in hot water, that will apply during 15 minutes.
During the treatments with heat, it covers the eye or ciérrelo.
If it cannot blink or to close the eye well, póngase protective
plastic
eyeglasses
.
Llévelos to take shelter of the dirt, the dust and the dryness. It can buy the
eyeglasses
in
a
store of sports or an optics.
At night,
a
patch
póngase to close the eyelid and to maintain the eye and prote'ge' humid.
When it is replenishing the force in the
muscle
, it hágase face massages and exercises.
Dese massages in the forehead, cheeks, lips and eyes with cream or oil. In front of exercise muscles debilitated
a
mirror: Be on and you close the awares, you blink, you smile and you teach the teeth.
Hágalo 15 to 20 minutes several times to the day.
Cepíllese the teeth and pasese
dental
thread more often to maintain the mouth healthy.
Medication.
Colirio of metilcelulosa for lightening and protection of the affected eye.
Drugs with cortisone during 2 weeks to reduce the inflammation of the nerve.
Treatment.
The foundation of the medical treatment consists of:
Treatment precóz.
Autocuidados during the convalecencia.
Immunization against the tétanos.
Stays in
a
hyperbaric chamber to stop the progresses of the gangrene.
Surgery to extirpate died weaves, accompanied of amputation sometimes.
After an amputation, physical therapy.
Diet.
Often
a
soft diet by the difficulties to chew is necessary and to swallow.
Prevention.
SNo can be come up.
Signs and symptoms.
Signs.
Sudden paralysis of
a
side of the face, including muscles of the eyelid.
Pain behind the ear of the affected side.
Absence of expression in the side of the affected face.
Distorted smile and faces.
Changes in the taste, the salivation and the formation of tears (sometimes)
Factors of risk.
It is not known.
Causes.
Strangers.
It produces the inflammation of the face nerve.
The inflammation can cause it
a
virus, an affection autoinmune or
a
reduction of the sanguineous flow and pressure on the face nerve when it happens through the temporary bone of the skull.
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