Disclaimer: this write-up is not intended for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care professional. It's solely to increase awareness about Bell's palsy.
Nandi woke up one morning and noticed that one side of her face was swollen. She touched her face but felt stiff; half her face was drooping; she had one-sided smile; and her eyes would not close! No way, this can't be true! She tried to ignore the whole saga unfolding by concentrating on her morning chores. Within few hours Nandi was having headaches, pain around her jaws and inside her ears on the affected side, and a decrease in her ability to taste.
By now she had become very alarmed! She tried to cry but the tears would not come. Nandi found out she could not make facial expressions! Not only that, she had developed increased sensitivity to sound on that affected side. That side was becoming weaker too. She looked at her face in the mirror and almost fainted from fright and the caricature-like image of her face. "This is it," Nandi cried! "Someone must have charmed me in the village! O God why? So this is how am gonna die! O God, why me?" Mind you Nandi returned from a visit to her native country three days prior. Wait a minute! Poor Nandi just experienced signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy without knowing it!
Bell's palsy occurs when the nerve (cranial nerve VII) that controls facial muscles on one side of your face becomes swollen or inflamed. When this happens, your face feels stiff and droops. Herpes simplex virus, which also causes cold sores and genital herpes, is said to be the most common cause. Other viruses that have been linked to Bell's palsy include:
Below are some images of faces affected by Bell's palsy (from Google Image):
Nandi woke up one morning and noticed that one side of her face was swollen. She touched her face but felt stiff; half her face was drooping; she had one-sided smile; and her eyes would not close! No way, this can't be true! She tried to ignore the whole saga unfolding by concentrating on her morning chores. Within few hours Nandi was having headaches, pain around her jaws and inside her ears on the affected side, and a decrease in her ability to taste.
By now she had become very alarmed! She tried to cry but the tears would not come. Nandi found out she could not make facial expressions! Not only that, she had developed increased sensitivity to sound on that affected side. That side was becoming weaker too. She looked at her face in the mirror and almost fainted from fright and the caricature-like image of her face. "This is it," Nandi cried! "Someone must have charmed me in the village! O God why? So this is how am gonna die! O God, why me?" Mind you Nandi returned from a visit to her native country three days prior. Wait a minute! Poor Nandi just experienced signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy without knowing it!
Bell's palsy occurs when the nerve (cranial nerve VII) that controls facial muscles on one side of your face becomes swollen or inflamed. When this happens, your face feels stiff and droops. Herpes simplex virus, which also causes cold sores and genital herpes, is said to be the most common cause. Other viruses that have been linked to Bell's palsy include:
- The virus that causes chickenpox and shingles (herpes zoster)
- The virus that causes mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr)
- Another virus in the same family (cytomrgavirus)
A mild case of this sickness disappears within a month but recovery from a case involving total paralysis differs. For most people, "Bell's palsy symptoms improve within a few weeks, with
complete recovery in three to six months. About 10 percent will experience a
recurrence of Bell's palsy, sometimes on the other side of the face. A small
number of people continue to have some Bell's palsy signs and symptoms for life."
Before you accuse that old man/woman in the village, or the wicked neighbor who recently gave you an evil look, or that person who had a fight with you at work, or in the dream last week, or..., please, see your physician first!
Below are some images of faces affected by Bell's palsy (from Google Image):
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