Bell's Palsy Symptoms

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• QWhen do most people start to notice symptoms of Bell's palsy?

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  A Greenville Health System answered

  At first, most people notice pain behind one of their ears. A few hours to a few days later, they notice a sudden paralysis or weakness of one half of their face. Because Bell's palsy happens so quickly, doctors can often rule out other possible conditions, such as tumors, that take longer to produce symptoms. However, since other conditions like strokes also happen quickly, people who notice sudden facial paralysis should seek emergency medical treatment.
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• QWhat can I do to protect my eyes while I have Bell's palsy symptoms?

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  A Portsmouth Regional Hospital answered

  Your doctor can help you decide what eye treatments are best for you. If you are having trouble keeping your eyes wet (lubricated) because it is difficult to blink or close them, you may wish to do some of the following:

  • Use eye drops frequently (as often as your eye feels dry, or, at minimum, every hour).
  • Apply an eye ointment at night.
  • Use an eye patch during the day and/or at night to help the eye stay closed and keep moisture in. You can also occasionally hold your eye closed.
  • Wear eyeglasses as your doctor or ophthalmologist prescribes.

  Keeping your eyes moist will help prevent serious scarring that could happen if your cornea becomes dry and gets scratched.

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• QWhat are the symptoms of Bell's palsy?

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  A Riverside Center for Neurosciences answered

  The symptoms of Bell's palsy, which vary from person to person and range in severity from mild weakness to total paralysis, include twitching, weakness or paralysis on one or both sides of the face, drooping of the eyelid and the corner of the mouth, drooling, dryness of the eye or mouth, impairment of taste, and excessive tear formation in one eye. Mostly, these symptoms, which usually begin suddenly and reach their peak within 48 hours, lead to significant facial distortion.

  Other symptoms may include pain or discomfort around the jaw and behind the ear, ringing in one or both ears, headache, loss of taste, hypersensitivity to sound on the affected side, impaired speech, dizziness, and difficulty in eating or drinking.

  This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

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• QShould I talk to my doctor about my Bell's palsy symptoms?

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  A Portsmouth Regional Hospital answered

  If you suddenly experience symptoms that look like those of Bell's palsy, such as paralysis on one half of your face, you should go to the emergency room, rather than waiting for a doctor's appointment. It is important to make sure that you are not experiencing a stroke or another illness that is similar to Bell's palsy.

  If you have had Bell's palsy in the past, and especially if it runs in your family, you may wish to talk to your doctor about whether or not you are likely to have Bell's palsy again. Since Bell's palsy often occurs when people have another body condition such as pregnancy, diabetes, or a cold or the flu, you may wish to ask your doctor for more information about your condition and how Bell's palsy might affect you individually.

• QWhat facial complications are related to Bell's palsy?

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  A Portsmouth Regional Hospital answered

  Nerves must form connections in order to conduct impulses (electrical signals) that tell your muscles when to move. Sometimes, when a nerve becomes inflamed or infected, connections may form that aren't normal. These connections can produce the muscle twitching that some people with Bell's palsy experience long after their other symptoms have disappeared. Dry eyes are also connected to these abnormal links.