BELL'S PALSY

Salam and good day.
I wanna share with you my experience that will happen to only 1 of 5000 people in the world.

When I was in form 1. I had this neuro disease. When talking about disease, especially that is connected to the brain, people will get terrified. I had the idiopathic disease called Bell's Palsy. Actually, scientists believe that it is caused by viral infection. Luckily, I did the treatment early that I can recover fast.

WHAT IS BELL'S PALSY?
Bells palsy is a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. It's caused by trauma to the 7th cranial nerve, and is not permanent.

WHY IS IT CALLED BELL'S PALSY?
The condition is named for Sir Charles Bell, a Scottish surgeon who studied the nerve and its innervation of the facial muscles 200 years ago.

HOW COMMON IS BELL'S PALSY?
Bells palsy is not as uncommon as is generally believed. Worldwide statistics set the frequency at approximately .02% of the population (with geographical variations). In human terms this is 1 of every 5000 people, and 40,000 Americans every year.

IS BELL'S PALSY ALWAYS ON THE SAME SIDE?
The percentage of left or right side cases is approximately equal, and remains equal for recurrences. ( I was on the left side.)

IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BECAUSE OF GENDER OR RACE?
The incidence of Bells palsy in males and females, as well as in the various races is also approximately equal. The chances of the condition being mild or severe, and the rate of recovery is also equal.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN INCREASE THE CHANCE OF HAVING BELL'S PALSY?
Older people are more likely to be afflicted, but children are not immune to it. Children tend to recover well. Diabetics are more than 4 times more likely to develop Bells palsy than the general population. The last trimester of pregnancy is considered to be a time of increased risk for Bell's palsy. Conditions that compromise the immune system such as HIV or sarcoidosis increase the odds of facial paralysis occurring and recurring.

HOW DO THE SYMPTOMS OF BELL'S PALSY PROGRESS?
Very quickly. Most people either wake up to find they have Bells palsy, or have symptoms such as a dry eye or tingling around their lips that progress to classic Bell's palsy during that same day. Occasionally symptoms may take a few days to be recognizable as Bells palsy. The degree of paralysis should peak within several days of onset - never in longer than 2 weeks (3 weeks maximum for Ramsey Hunt syndrome). A warning sign may be neck pain, or pain in or behind the ear prior to palsy, but it is not usually recognized in first-time cases. ( my warning sign is pain behind my left ear and it only takes two days to be recognizable after the onset for me)

IS BELL'S PALSY CONTAGIOUS?
No, it is not contagious. People with Bells palsy can return to work and resume normal activity as soon as they feel up to it.

WHAT ABOUT RECOVERY FROM BELL'S PALSY?
Approximately 50% of Bells palsy patients will have essentially complete recoveries in a short time. Another 35% will have good recoveries in less than a year. ( I was in the 50% category. Thank GOD)


IS BELL'S PALSY LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN?
The possibility of recurrence had been thought to be as high as 10 - 20%. These figures have been lowered as more has been learned about conditions that are now diagnosed as other types of facial palsies. Estimates of the rate of recurrence still vary widely, from around 4 - 14%. Most recent reports hover at 5 - 9%. The average timespan between recurrences is 10 years. (Hopefully, I will not)


Bells Palsy is caused by an inflammation within a small bony tube called the fallopian canal. The canal is an extremely narrow area. An inflammation within it is likely to exert pressure on the nerve, compressing it. Likewise, if the nerve itself becomes inflamed within this small canal, it can encounter pressure, with the same result of compression. The nerve has not yet exited the skull and divided into its several branches, resulting in impairment of all functions controlled by the 7th nerve. If only part of the face is affected, the condition is not Bell's palsy. If, for example, the mouth area is weak but the forehead moves, Bells palsy is ruled out.

SYMPTOMS

GENERAL	EYE RELATED
Muscle weakness or paralysis Forehead wrinkles disappear Overall droopy appearance Impossible or difficult to blink Nose runs Nose is constantly stuffed Difficulty speaking Difficulty eating and drinking Sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis) Excess or reduced salivation Facial swelling Diminished or distorted taste Pain in or near the ear Drooling	Eye closure difficult Lack of tears Excessive tearing Brow droop Tears fail to coat cornea Lower eyelid droop Sensitivity to light
RESIDUAL EFFECTS Eye appears smaller Blink remains incomplete or infrequent Tearing abnormalities Asymmetrical smile Mouth pulls up and outward Sinus problems Nose runs during physical exertion Post paralytic hemifacial spasm Hypertonic muscles Co-contracting muscles Synkinesis (oral/ocular well known, but can affect any muscle group) Sweating while eating or during physical exertion Muscles become more flaccid when tired, or during minor illness Muscles stiffen when exposed to cold, when tired, or during illnes

That's it. The blue bold ones are the symptoms that I had experiences since it differs among people.