The face conveys many emotions. Just by looking at someone’s face you can tell if they are sad, upset, in love, worried, disoriented, confused, etc. It is incredible all the information that she is capable of transmitting.
On the other hand, our face is also like a cover letter. It is the door that can open a large number of opportunities in different areas of our lives. For example, at work, love, friendships, among others.
Hence the importance of being attentive to transmit what we really feel or think, since we could send the wrong message.
In general, those who tend to take more care of their face are women. They take the time to moisturize their skin, to apply some sunscreen, correct imperfections and highlight their attributes with a little makeup. This makes them project a good image and gives them a lot of security when interacting with other people.
However, there are situations in life that can make everything change, such as a disease, which are also often reflected in the face, one of them is Bell’s palsy, also known as facial paralysis, which is manifested by a weakness sudden in the facial muscles.
It is likely that you know someone who, at some point in their life, has suffered from facial paralysis; do you know what it is due to? What are your symptoms? Knowing this information will help you to be aware of the warning signs that your body gives, and to be able to get to work before it is too late.
However, this does not mean that you will be exempt from it happening to you. But, if this is the case, you will be able to find out what you can do to get ahead and recover the natural expression of your face.
Instructions to know the causes of facial paralysis
As I have already mentioned before, facial paralysis includes a sudden weakness in the muscles of the face, which makes it look droopy. In fact, the smile is only drawn on one side and, usually, the eye does not close completely.
This can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, race, or nationality. In most cases, this muscle weakness is temporary. Symptoms tend to improve after a few weeks, and recovery is complete after about 6 months. It is rare that some symptoms persist for life or recur.
It is not known exactly what causes it. But it is believed to happen because the nerve, which controls the muscles on one side of the face, becomes inflamed. Although it could also be a reaction after having gone through a viral process.
Viruses that have been linked to facial paralysis are:
- Herpes labial is and genital.
- Chickenpox and shingles.
- Infectious mononucleosis.
- Respiratory diseases.
- The rubella.
- the mumps
- Influenza B or common flu.
- Hand, foot and mouth disease.
But how do these viruses influence facial paralysis? In this case, the nerve that is responsible for keeping the facial muscles controlled passes through a narrow conduit formed by bone, which crosses the face.
During Bell’s palsy, this nerve becomes inflamed as a result of the viral infection. This same nerve also influences tearing, salivation, and the sense of taste. It also affects a tiny bone inside the ear.
What do you need to know the causes of facial paralysis?
It is important that you are aware that the symptoms of facial paralysis can appear overnight, and include the following:
- A sudden slight weakness that increases until reaching total paralysis of one side of the face. This can happen in just a few days or even hours.
- The fall of one side of the face.
- Difficulty making facial expressions as common as closing the eye or smiling.
- Pain in the jaw or behind the ear that is on the affected side.
- A marked increase in sensitivity to sound on the affected side.
- Severe headaches.
- Loss of sense of taste.
- An excessive production of tears and saliva or the scarcity of them.
Although it is a real possibility, very rarely, facial paralysis can affect the nerves that are on both sides of the face, causing, as expected, the symptoms to intensify and manifest on both sides of the face.
In case you present some of these symptoms or even any type of paralysis, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible, since it could be a stroke, which produces symptoms very similar to those of Bell’s palsy.
Tips to know the causes of facial paralysis
In relation to the treatment, which must be followed for full recovery, this includes the following:
- Corticosteroids. These are very strong and effective anti-inflammatory agents, which usually work best if started within a few days of symptoms.
- In combination with steroids, they are considered beneficial for some patients with facial paralysis. However, it should be noted that this fact has not yet been verified.
- Physiotherapy. When muscles become paralyzed, they often shrink or shorten, causing permanent contractures. In this case, a physical therapist can teach you massage techniques and other exercises for the muscles in your face to prevent it from happening again.
- Surgery. A few years ago, surgery was used to relieve pressure on the facial nerve. This was done by opening the bony passage where the nerve passes through. Today, however, this surgery is not recommended, as the risks associated with this decompression surgery include facial nerve injury and permanent hearing loss.
Now that you know more about facial paralysis, you have the necessary tools to act in time and recover the expression of your face and the mobility of your facial muscles.
