Bells Palsy
Overview
SymptomsandDiagnosis
Symptoms
Symptoms may start all at once or get worse over 48 hours. They may be:
- Twitching, weakness, or paralysis, most often on 1 side
- Drooping corner of the mouth
- Drooling
- Drooping or problems closing an eye, which can cause dry eye
- Excess tears from an eye
- Loss of taste
- Sensitivity to sounds
- Pain in the jaw or ear
- Headache
- Dizziness
Treatments
Treatment
Bell palsy often gets better on its own within a few weeks. Full healing may take 3 to 6 months. The goal of treatment is to manage symptoms during this time. This can be done with:
Medication
Corticosteroids may be given to ease swelling. They may be given with antiviral medicine to ease severe symptoms in some people.
Self-care
Eye care may be needed in some people. This may include:
- Lubricant or eye drops
- Covering and taping the eye closed at night
- An eye patch to keep the eye closed
Therapy
Physical therapy may be needed. It may include facial exercises.
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
Edits to original content made by Denver Health.
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All rights reserved.
RESOURCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Health Canada https://www.canada.ca
Public Health Agency of Canada http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca
References
Bell's palsy. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/bells-palsy.html. Updated October 6, 2017. Accessed October 11, 2019.
Bell's palsy. American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery website. Available at: http://www.entnet.org/?q=node/1465. Updated August 2018. Accessed October 11, 2019.
Bell palsy. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/bell-palsy . Updated February 28, 2018. Accessed October 11, 2019.
Bell’s palsy information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Bells-Palsy-Information-Page. Updated March 27, 2019. Accessed October 11, 2019.
de Almeida JR, Guyatt GH, et al. Management of Bell palsy: clinical practice guideline. CMAJ. 2014 Sep 2;186(12):917-922.
Schwartz SR, Jones SL, Getchius TS, Gronseth GS. Reconciling the clinical practice guidelines on Bell’s palsy from the AA-HNSF and the AAN. Neurology. 2014;82(21):1927-1929.