Bell's Palsy
It happens suddenly when one side of your face gets weak and droopy. You think you might be having a stroke, but it's only your face, and a stroke would affect more than that. This condition is called Bells palsy, and the good news is that in most people it only lasts a few months.
We don't know what causes this paralysis, which can get worse in the first day or two, and is usually not painful. It's been associated with the virus that causes the common cold (herpes simplex), diabetes and people getting over a virus.
There is no specific treatment, and it generally (but not always) gets better.
Recently Answered
- Q What should I do if I had Bell's Palsy and my eyes keep closing?
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After Bell's palsy resolves some people are left with spasms and contractures on the side of the face in which the palsy occurred and this can look like forcible eyelid closure associated sometimes with contraction of the muscles of the lower... Full Answer
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- Q Why do people with Bell's palsy often get tested for Lyme disease?
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Lyme disease, an illness spread by ticks, has some symptoms that are similar to those of Bell's palsy. The kind of facial paralysis people involved may appear to be the same, in both cases. Because Lyme disease is usually confirmed through blood tests,... Full Answer
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- Q Can Bells Palsy cause headaches?
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Bells Palsy is a separate phenomenon and more likely than not has an origin in a small herpetic virus but there is no certainty in that. Bells Palsy affects one side of the face and the migraine headache may be on that side of the head. A definite... Full Answer
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- Q How does Bell's palsy affect the body?
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Bell's palsy is usually temporary, but sometimes its effects on the body are long-lasting or even permanent. People with Bell's palsy have weakness or paralysis on one side of their face. They may find that their sense of taste is dulled and that sounds... Full Answer
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- Q What increases my risk for Bell's palsy?
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You are at greater risk for Bell's palsy if you have been infected with a virus that is associated with the disorder. These viruses include herpes zoster (causes chickenpox and shingles), herpes simplex (causes cold sores and genital herpes),... Full Answer
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- Q How many people get Bell's palsy?
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The viruses that cause Bell's palsy are much more common than Bell's palsy itself is. Only 23 out of 100,000 people, or 0.023 percent of the population, develop Bell's palsy. People who develop Bell's palsy are usually between the ages of 15 and 60. Full Answer
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- Q Is Bell's palsy serious?
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The symptoms, and their severity, of Bell's palsy vary from person to person. Many people see the symptoms of Bell's palsy disappear in as little as one to six months. A few, though, will have symptoms that last much longer or that never... Full Answer
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- Q Will I recover from Bell's palsy if I never get treatment for it?
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You may recover from Bell's palsy without treatment. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, you may not need much treatment, and you may never experience Bell's palsy again. For example, if your facial muscles are only weakened, your Bell's palsy is... Full Answer
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- Q How long does it take to recover from Bell's palsy?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyBell's palsy can paralyze suddenly. In this video Dr. Oz talks about recovery time from Bell's palsy and how to distinguish it from something more serious. Full Answer
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- Q What does sarcoidosis have to do with Bell's palsy?
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Sarcoidosis is a disease that happens mainly to people of Scandinavian or African-American descent. In sarcoidosis, groups of inflammatory cells, called granulomas, develop. These granulomas affect different organs; when they affect the lungs, they make... Full Answer
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