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Bell's Palsy
(TL003)

Introduction

Bell's palsy (BP) also called facial nerve palsy, is usually a unilateral (one-sided) facial paralysis that occurs suddenly and worsens over a period of hours to days. Dysfunction of the facial nerve can occur through several different mechanisms: compromise of the blood supply to the nerve; inflammation and edema within the nerve; immune reaction; or viral infection.

BP is the most common cause of facial paralysis affecting approximately 65,000 persons every year in the United States. BP mostly affects young and middle-aged adults. The incidence rises again after the age of 60.

Recent research has provided evidence that the herpes simplex virus (HSV) may play an important role in as many as 70% of BP cases. HSV is the same virus that causes cold sores and lives in nerves.

Because most cases of BP resolve spontaneously, the need for treatment has been debated, especially in mild cases. The goals of therapy are to prevent or minimize significant and long-term paralysis, disfigurement and disability. Treatment may include medications and rarely, surgery.

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The Medifocus Guide on Bell's Palsy provides answers to the following important questions and medical issues:


What Your Doctor Reads:

This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. A partial selection of journal articles that are abstracted in this MediFocus Guide includes:


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