Does bell’s palsy cause swelling?

Bell’s palsy is a condition that affects the facial nerve, causing temporary paralysis or weakness on one side of the face. This may leave folks with many questions and concerns – one of which is whether Bell’s Palsy causes swelling. To help answer this question, let’s dive deeper into what Bell’s Palsy actually entails.

What Causes Bell’s Palsy?

The exact cause of Bell’s palsy isn’t clear, but it’s believed to occur when the facial nerve becomes inflamed or compressed^1. In most cases, this occurs suddenly and for no apparent reason (also known as idiopathic). However, other factors can also contribute to its onset:

  • Viral infections
  • Immune system dysfunction
  • Herpes simplex virus type 1 (cold sores/shingles)
  • Respiratory illnesses like influenza

If left untreated or misdiagnosed; several complications can result from Bells’ palsy that could lead to more severe outcomes in terms of blinking difficulties, speech problems, vision loss etc^2.

Symptoms of Bell’s Palsy

Apart from general facial weakness/paralysis on one side there are several symptoms often associated with Bells’ palsy some such as:

  1. Drooping mouth/corner lip-unintentional drooling whilst speaking/eating/showing teeth/smiling.
  2. Difficulty raising your eyebrow.
  3. Eye Problems: dryness/tearing/light sensitivity/pain/uncontrollable eyelid movement/eventual blindness(retinal detachment).
    4 .Headache followed by hearing sensitivity.
    5 .Changes in ability to taste food items particularly sugary/sour ones.

These symptoms typically appear rapidly over a period ranging from hours up to two days after initial onset ^3.

How does swelling relate to bell’s palsy?

Itching around an area is quite familiar while suffering from any disease & Bell’s palsy is no exception. We do feel itching and irritation around our facial muscles during the acute active stage of Bell’s Palsy ^4. This, however, cannot be designated as swelling directly.

Bell’s palsy can cause face to sag/wrinkle due to temporary paralysis; this may lead to an appearance some believe manifests itself as ‘swelling’ of the entire side affected^5.

How does one cure Bell’s Palsy?

In most cases, symptoms gradually start improving within a few weeks and patients recover fully in three months from initial onset without significant interventions; however medical attention/physiotherapy/general lifestyle changes may help accelerate recovery for patients with varying degrees depending on individual patient assessment & potential severity^6.

To ensure complete prevention or managing of after effects that could culminate into severe disability resulting , correct diagnosis& timely intervention by professionals is mandatorily advised towards best treatment possibilities available for long term positive outcomes.

Conclusion

In summary, while Bell’s Palsy itself does not typically result in swelling specifically, it can give your face what appears like puffiness owing majorly to its motor dysfunction that causes temporary paralysis/weakness on one side17.

Thank you for reading until now; we hope we were able raise healthy debate & discussion platform regarding concerns about swelling amidst individuals who are experiencing Bell’s palsy. Feel free share further knowledge where necessary!

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