What is facial paralysis?
Facial paralysis is a disease that appears when the facial nerve responsible for sending signals to the muscles that provide movement and expressions for the face is damaged. Among other functional deficits, this leads to an inability to close the eye and raise the eyebrow on the affected side, as well as to eat, speak, smile or breathe through the nose.
Facial Paralysis explained in first person
The majority of them recover spontaneously; however, when the paralysis is of slow evolution, it is very important for the person to stay patient.
Anatomy of the facial nerve
The facial nerve is a cranial nerve that runs through a narrow channel of bone in the skull until it reaches the face. It is made up of motor and sensory fibres distributed throughout the face that transmit signals to the muscles responsible for facial expression. It also influences your eyes watering, salivation and your sense of taste.
When this nerve is damaged, the muscles in the affected area of the face atrophy (hypotonia) due to a lack of movement and those in the healthy area of the face become tense (hypertonia) due to overload. Thus, the face loses mobility and expressiveness, and is reflected in an asymmetry of the face.
When at rest, a patient has difficulty closing the affected eye, with constant tearing and an inability to raise the eyebrow. In addition, saliva can dribble from the corner of the affected side, making it difficult to speak, eat or smile.
How many people are affected by facial paralysis?
Facial paralysis is relatively common. In general, it has a good prognosis with conservative treatment.
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Published: 11 June 2024
Updated: 11 June 2024
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