Facial paralysis (Bell’s Paralysis) is a disease that develops as a result of the involvement of N. Facialis, which is the VII head pair, disrupts facial symmetry, causes difficulty in speaking, eating and taking liquid food, and has a risk of damaging the eye because the eyelid cannot be closed well. It affects the individual both physically and psychologically due to facial slippage.
The patient presents with paralysis of the facial muscles, hyperacusis (hearing a loud voice), decrease in tears and salivation, and decrease in the sense of taste in the anterior 2/3 of the tongue. Until the disease is healed, it is recommended that the patient rest a lot and stay away from stressful environments and situations that can increase nerve damage such as cigarette-alcohol. Again, in this period, sugary foods both delay the healing and increase the side effects of the drugs to be used, and a vegetable-oil-protein diet is drawn.
Facial paralysis usually occurs spontaneously as a result of a decrease in our resistance during a tired and stressful period. However, many diseases may arise under it: Melkerson-Rosenthal syndrome, temporal bone fracture, Otitis, Mastoiditis, Herpes zoster oticus (Ramsay Hunt syndrome), choleasteatoma, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Tuberculosis, Lyme, Infectious Mononucleosis, Parotitis, Glomus jugulare bone and temporal tumor, Malignant tumors, Facial nerve neuroma, Acoustic neuroma, Lower cranial nerve (N. IX, X, XI) neuromas, Meningioma, Leukemias, Diabetes Mellitus, Sarcoidosis, Guillian Barre syndrome, facial palsy in autoimmune diseases.
It should be clarified whether there is another disease under it by performing a detailed examination.
The main goal in treatment is to ensure that the healing is close to complete and to protect the eye in this process. It is very important to support the patient psychologically and to follow up the recovery with regular controls.
In order to protect the eye, it is necessary to stay away from dusty environments, to protect from the sun with tools such as sunglasses and hats, to combat dryness of the eyes, and to cover the eye with a sterile dressing at night. Physiotherapy should be started from the first week of drug therapy. EMG (electromyography) is performed in patients who do not show sufficient improvement in the follow-ups, and it is decided whether there will be an improvement. Surgery is planned for patients with low recovery expectation. If neural therapy is started at an early stage, it significantly accelerates recovery.
There may be a false improvement in the form of tearing in the eyes while eating after facial paralysis. Here, we get injured from some swallowed drugs and Botinium toxin application (Botox).
In our clinic, we perform diagnosis and treatment for facial paralysis, investigation of underlying diseases, follow-up of recovery with EMG device, Botox and Neuraltherapy applications.
