What is Bell’s palsy?

It is a condition that manifests with abrupt facial muscle weakness, making half of the face look uneven downwards, when trying to smile it is only possible to do it on one side, and the eye of the affected part cannot close completely.

Within a few weeks, the weakness usually improves and can rarely affect the nerves on both sides of the face. Bell’s palsy or facial paralysis can occur in people of all ages and although the origin is unknown, research indicates that it may be due to inflammation of the nerve responsible for managing the muscles of the face or a secondary effect of an infectious process caused by a virus, such as:

Influenza.
Herpes simplex.
Cytomegalovirus.
Infectious mononucleosis.
Respiratory ailments.
Herpes Zoster.
Mumps.
Rubella.

Like any condition, there are several factors that can influence the appearance of Bell’s palsy, including:

Diabetes.
Pregnancy.
Upper respiratory tract infection.

Signs and symptoms Bell’s palsy

Symptoms appear suddenly and consist of:

Excessive salivation and tearing with discharge.
Trouble gesturing.
Drop in the level of one side of the face.
Mild weakness to total paralysis of one side of the face.
Headache.
Sore jaw
Pain in the ear on the damaged side.
Increased sensitivity to sound on the affected side.
Impaired sense of taste.

Symptoms generally improve within a few weeks, and full recovery usually occurs within six months. Bell’s palsy symptoms rarely continue for life.

Potential risks:

Total or partial loss of sight due to the cornea being affected.
Synkinesis, where muscle control is lacking and when making a movement another is made involuntary.
Damaged facial nerve.

Diagnosis and treatment Bell’s palsy

Once your doctor analyzes your symptoms and clinical history, they will perform a physical examination of your face and ask you to make various movements. In addition, they will request studies such as electromyography, computed tomography, and MRI, to determine that it is Bell’s palsy.

The treatment consists of taking:

Corticosteroids.
Antiviral drugs.
Physiotherapy.

In certain cases, decompression surgery may be required to free the facial nerve or, in others, plastic surgery to correct harmful effects on the face.

At the Neurological Center, a select group of highly trained and certified doctors in the various neurological specialties are ready to assist you with the quality and warmth that characterizes us.

Specialists

Neurology
Neurosurgery
Spine surgery
Pediatric neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Neuro-rehabilitation
Neuro-pathology
Interventional neuro-radiology
Neuropsychology
Neuro-oncology
Neuro-otology
Epilepsy
Neuro-ophthalmology
Neuroimaging

Related centers and departments

Neurology Center
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

aao.org
cun.es
mayocilinic.org
medlineplus.gov
msdmanuals.com
topdoctors.es
medigraphic.com
Montoya AP, Morales FM, Murillo AK. Parálisis de Bell. Revista Médica Sinergia. 2021;6(06):1-10.
Martín PB, Pérez RE, Yumar CAC, et al. Efectividad de la rehabilitación en la parálisis de Bell. Rev Cub de Med Fis y Rehab. 2017;9(1):1-14.
Aceves-Rodríguez R, Sosa-Luna CA, Duvignau-Dondé E. Estimulación magnética transcraneal del nervio facial en individuos con parálisis de Bell. Rev Neurol Neurocir Psiquiat. 2009;42(1-4):13-20.
Ferrera MT, Hernández ZMS, Castro ALR, et al. Evaluación clínica y funcional de pacientes con parálisis de Bell tratados con láser. MediSan. 2015;19(12):5056-5062.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is Bell’s palsy?

Signs and symptoms Bell’s palsy

Diagnosis and treatment Bell’s palsy

Specialists

Related centers and departments

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Bell’s palsy