Head and Facial Disorders Flashcards
What are the most common etiologies of general facial palsies?
Infectious Traumatic Tumor Cerebrovascular disease Toxin exposure Idiopathic***
Acute facial nerve palsy of unknown cause that makes up 50% of facial nerve palsies
Bell’s Palsy
What two conditions dramatically increase your odds of getting Bell’s Palsy?
PREGNANCY (3x increase)
Diabetes (5-10% of BP patients)
When is the risk of Bell’s palsy highest for pregnant women?
During the 3rd trimester and immediately postpartum
There is some link between _____ and Bell’s Palsy but often unable to confirm and therefore the condition is labeled idiopathic
HSV
It can still be helpful to give HSV tx
Clinical presentation of Bell’s Palsy
Sudden onset of unilateral facial paralysis (within hours)
• Inability to close eye
• Facial drooping with flattening of nasolabial fold
• Decreased tearing
• Hyperacusis
• +/- Loss of taste to anterior 2/3 of tongue
*May also present with additional cranial nerve neuropathy
What other conditions should be on your DDx for Bell’s Palsy?
Herpes zoster Otitis media Lyme Guillain-Barre Tumor Stroke
Cephalic herpes zoster with facial nerve involvement or herpes zoster oticus
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
How do you differentiate Ramsay Hunt from Bell’s Palsy?
Evaluate for vesicles near external meatus and ask about preherpetic neuralgia
How do you differentiate Lyme disease from Bell’s Palsy?
BILATERAL (though can also be unilateral) lasting less than 2 months
May be associated with Lyme meningitis
Evaluate in young patient and other associated symptoms including erythema/swelling prior to palsy
How do you differentiate Guillain-Barre from Bell’s Palsy?
Progressive, SYMMETRIC and BILATERAL
How do you differentiate a tumor from Bell’s Palsy?
GRADUAL onset over 2+ weeks
How do you differentiate a stroke from Bell’s Palsy?
SPARES FOREHEAD!!!
Rarely, upper motor neuron strokes affect ipsilateral facial nerve nucleus or tract, but in general, they’ll be able to wrinkle their forehead and they can’t in Bell’s Palsy
UMN lesion affecting the contralateral portion of the lower face with forehead spared
Central Facial Palsy
Think about STROKE, TUMOR, MS, or trauma to motor cortex/corticobulbar tracts
LMN lesion affecting the ipsilateral side of the face and involving the forehead
Peripheral Facial Palsy
Think of BELL’S PALSY, Guillain-Barre, otitis media, Lyme, Ramsay Hunt
How is Bell’s Palsy diagnosed?
Typically a clinical diagnosis
- Diffuse facial nerve involvement
- Acute onset in 1-2 days —> progressive with max severity within 3 weeks —> improvement/recovery in 6 months
What is the progression of symptoms in Bell’s Palsy
Acute onset (1-2 days)
Max severity in 3 weeks
Resolution in 6 months
When do you need to order diagnostic studies for Bell’s Palsy?
Atypical symptoms
No significant improvement in 4 months
Progression beyond 3 weeks
If you DO decide you want diagnostic studies for Bell’s Palsy, what you ordering?
Electromyography (EMG)/Nerve Conduction Study (NCS)
CT/MRI
Labs:
• Serology for Lyme/HSV
• Fasting blood sugars in patients with risk factors for DM
How do you treat Bell’s Palsy?
Mild cases may resolve spontaneously within 2 weeks
PREDNISONE 60 mg qd x 5 days then taper by 10mg daily x 5 days OR 60-80 mg qd x 7 days
+/- Valacyclovir 1g TID x 7 days
Best results if treatment initiated within 3 days of Sx onset
What do you need to do about your patient’s eyes if they have Bell’s Palsy?
Because they can’t close one of their eyes, increased risk of drying, corneal abrasion, or corneal ulceration
Artificial tears (liquid or gel) applied hourly during the day
Eye ointments (mineral oil and petrolatum) at night, +/- patch
Sunglasses
85% of Bell’s Palsy patients improve within _______
3 weeks
Normal function returns in 3-6 months
What is the prognosis for Bell’s Palsy?
Generally good
New axon growth may be disorganized/synkinesis
• Blinking causes twitch in corner of mouth
• Smiling causes eye to wink
Recurrence rate 7-15% (pregnancy and genetics increase risk)
What is the other fancy name for Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Tic doulaureux