Is Bell's Palsy Hereditary?

Named for 19th-century Scottish surgeon Sir Charles Bell, who first described the condition, Bell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis. At first glance, because of the symptoms, one would guess a person had suffered a stroke. However, Bell's palsy affects only the facial muscles, unlike a stroke. Those most often affected are between the ages 15 and 60, although this condition can occur at any age.

What is Bell's Palsy?

• Bell's palsy is a condition that causes temporary facial paralysis. It results from damage or trauma to one of the two nerves in the face that control the facial muscles. When the nerve function is interrupted, that disrupts messages sent to the brain. Bell's palsy rarely affect both sides of the face.

Symptoms

• Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Perhaps the most common symptom of Bell's palsy is sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of the face. Your face might feel stiff, it cabn be difficult to smile, you might notice your eyelid drooping. There can be significant tearing in one eye and the lid might not want to close. You might notice dryness in the mouth, or even a loss of taste. Sometimes there are headaches, dizziness, ringing in one or both ears, or impaired speech.

Causes

• When the nerve that controls the facial muscles becomes swollen or inflamed, it causes weakness or paralysis associated. Although scientists do not know for sure what causes this damage, they believe it might be a viral infection, such as herpes simplex, which causes cold sores. It has also been linked to viruses that cause influenza, chickenpox and shingles, and middle-ear infections, to name a few. By no means is this condition hereditary or contagious.

Diagnosis

• Although there are no laboratory tests to confirm this condition, your medical professional can diagnosis the condition based on a face-to-face presentation. After examining the affected area, he can order a test called an electromyography, or EMT, to confirm the severity and extent of nerve damage. An MRI or CT scan are other tests that can rule out other causes of pressure on the facial nerve.

Treatments

• In most cases, the outcome for patients with Bell's palsy is very good. The length of the recovery is generally based on the damage. Many patients do not need any treatment, and their condition begins to improve in as quickly as two weeks.

  There are treatments for those who do not respond as quickly. Antiviral drugs, which help fight the infection, are combined with anti-inflammatory drugs, which help reduce the swelling. Ibuprofen or aspirin can be used to relieve pain. Warm compresses applied to the area can also reduce pain. Often, eyedrops during the day and eye ointment during the night are recommended to keep the eye moist and prevent any vision loss. To keep the eye from being scratched, it helps to wear eyeglasses during the day and an eye patch at night.

  Always seek advice from your health-care professional if you have any paralysis or facial weakness. She can determine the cause of the condition and the appropriate treatment.