Bell’s Palsy
What is Bell’s Palsy?
● Temporary facial paralysis, affecting cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
● It occurs when the facial nerve becomes inflamed, which controls movement on 1 side of
the face
● This condition often comes on suddenly, causing various degrees of facial weakness, but
begins to recover naturally
Most Common Causes
● The cause of Bell’s Palsy remains unclear
● Some cases thought it could be caused by a viral infection
○ Cold sores
○ Chickenpox
○ Shingles
○ Mumps
○ Flu
● Other risk factors include: diabetes mellitus, upper respiratory infections, obesity,
pregnancy, chronic high blood pressure, and severe preeclampsia (complication of
pregnancy)
Clinical Presentation/Symptoms
● Inability to close the eye on the affected side
● Difficulty speaking due to muscular weakness around the mouth
● Loss of taste
● Sensitivity to sounds
● Drooling
● Pain in or around the ear on the affected side
● Dryness of the affected eye
● Drooping of the affected side
How Can We Help At ProTailored?
- Education on how to protect your face and eye
- Dry needling to facial musculature (if needed and appropriate)
- Facial massaging/stretching
- Neuromuscular re-education to facial musculature with mirror training
- Special exercises that are designed to help relearn facial movements and expressions
Exercises
For more on Bell’s Palsy or believe you have this disorder and would like to try conservative
treatment, reach out to ProTailored Physical Therapy, or call us at (260) 739-0300.