hi can anybody tell me about bells palsy and how long it lasts and the symptoms please?

Answer 1

Bell's palsy is an idiopathic "viral" attack on the facial nerve.
Asymmetrical Smile
• Tearing or dry eye
• Inability to close eye
• Abnormal blink
• Inability to whistle or pucker lips
• Frozen nasalis muscle in area of nostrils
• Buccinator paralysis (food caught in cheek of paralyzed side), inability to "puff" one's cheeks
• Drooling of liquids from corner of paralyzed mouth
• Hyperacussis (perceiving sounds as unduly loud)
• Excessive perspiration
• Weakened facial musculature
• Lack of wrinkling on forehead of paralyzed side
• Change in taste
• Changes in speech
• Tightness / swelling of facial muscle
• Facial pain
• Acoustic pain

The symptoms (or residuals) usually appear severe immediately following attack. Many patients fear that these symptoms indicate a stroke due to unilateral paralysis and rush to the emergency room. There they will commonly receive a dose of steroids to reduce swelling and pain. However, from that point forward there has been very little offered to the sufferer to assist in the recovery of his/her face. Ideally, an anti-viral medication is also prescribed to minimize the chance of residuals.

Statistics have shown that about 50% of all sufferers have COMPLETE SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY within the first 30 days WITHOUT ANY TREATMENTS OR INTERVENTIONS. Another 20% recover between months 1 and 3, another 5-10% between months 4 and 6. With a total of 80% exhibiting spontaneous recovery within six months.

Answer 2

My understanding of Bells Palsy is that it is a partial paralysis, typically of the face. I have heard stories for years of people riding a school bus and leaning their face against the frosted windows and developing it, which then made one half of their face go with out muscle control.

I have heard that it passes relatively quickly, several days to a week. It has been known to last longer.

Answer 3

Bells PAlsy is when the muscles on one side of the face are affected and do not work at all. Its a bit like having a stroke on one side of your face. Sometimes it never goes away - other times with Physio it decreases in time and I have heard of it going away in days sometimes. You would need to speak to a qualified doctor regrding individual cases

Answer 4

Yes my sister had that years ago.She woke up in the morning and the right side of her face was paralysed.We took her to the doctor and were told that there is no cure for it but that it would get better by itself which it did after about a week the feeling came back and she has never Had it since.

Answer 5

My boss had it and it lasted about 4 weeks, but it can last a lot longer. Lost the muscular use on one side of his face - stroke like symptoms

Answer 6

its caused by damage to the nerves either through infection,people who get shingles or herpeze virus or vunerable to infection or physical damage, after recovering from a serious opp myself had this problem with my right hand its called "drophand" even though the surgury was on my upper right arm.it took about 3 months to recover ,with determination and lots of physio therapy.hope this helps

Answer 7

My brother - in - law had numbness on one side of his face. It lasted a few months- couldnt move it either.
I would rec seeing a doctor for a full workup, though... because I think it(clinical signs) can sometimes be because of something else.

Chk out this too : http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic56.htm

Answer 8

When the cause is unclear lyme disease should be suspected,
as its a common symptom of this particular infection.

Answer 9

i had a buddy in high school who got it... it lasted a couple of months. his Dr. told him it could last 10 min 10 days 10 weeks or 10 months or 10 years... you never know