Bell’s palsy, << PAWL zee, >> is a disease that paralyzes one side of the face. A person who has Bell’s palsy cannot wrinkle the forehead or close the eye on the affected half of the face. The mouth sags on one side. With effort, the victim can move the facial muscles on the healthy side. But the face is distorted because the muscles on the other side cannot be moved.
The symptoms of Bell’s palsy appear suddenly in most cases. The victim may feel some pain for one or two days before they occur. But the paralysis itself is painless. Most victims lose the sense of taste on one side of the tongue. The eye on the paralyzed side becomes dry. Sounds may seem extremely loud at times.
Bell’s palsy is caused by a sudden swelling of the main motor nerve on one side of the face. A bony canal surrounds this nerve. The swollen nerve presses against its canal, causing the nerve to function improperly. The swelling may be caused by a virus, possibly a herpesvirus (see Herpesvirus ). However, not all doctors agree on how the disease should be treated.
More than 90 percent of the victims of Bell’s palsy recover in several weeks, even without treatment. In some cases, the symptoms become permanent. In its early stages, Bell’s palsy can be treated with drugs called steroid hormones.
Bell’s palsy is named after Sir Charles Bell, a British physician. In 1829, Bell described the function of the facial nerve.
