Facial nerve palsy

Question 1

What is Bell’s palsy?

Answer 1

idiopathic unilateral peripheral facial nerve paralysis of sudden onset affecting all branches, with no history or physical evidence of apparent cause.

Question 2

What are other causes of paralysis?

Answer 2

tumor, meningitis, stroke,

diabetes mellitus, head trauma and inflammatory diseases of the cranial nerves

Question 3

What is the thought pathophysiology of facial paralysis?

Answer 3

as a result of inflammation of the facial nerve, pressure is produced on the nerve
where it exits the skull within its bony canal, blocking the transmission of neural signals or
damaging the nerve

Question 4

What is the presentation of Bell’s palsy?

Answer 4

a sudden onset of unilateral, idiopathic, single-occurrence peripheral facial paralysis affecting all branches.

• Unilateral paralysis
• Single episode
• Dry eye
• pain

Question 5

What are DDx for Bell’s palsy?

Answer 5

• Tumour
• Facial nerve injury
• Lyme disease
• Stroke

Question 6

What is treatment of facial paralysis?

Answer 6

• treat underlying cause

* Corticosteroids