Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 52. No. 2., 2013.
Review article
Peripheral Facial Weakness (Bell's Palsy)
Vanja Bašić-Kes
Vesna Đermanović Dobrota
Marijan Cesarik
Lucija Zadro Matovina
Zrinko Madžar
Iris Zavoreo
Vida Demarin
Abstract
Peripheral facial weakness is a facial nerve damage that results in muscle weakness on one side of the face. It may be idiopathic (Bell’s palsy) or may have a detectable cause. Almost 80% of peripheral facial weakness cases are primary and the rest of them are secondary. The most frequent causes of secondary peripheral facial weakness are systemic viral infections, trauma, surgery, diabetes, local infections, tumor, immune disorders, drugs, degenerative diseases of the central nervous system, etc. The diagnosis relies upon the presence of typical signs and symptoms, blood chemistry tests, cerebrospinal fluid investigations, nerve conduction studies and neuroimaging methods (cerebral MRI, x-ray of the skull and mastoid). Treatment of secondary peripheral facial weakness is based on therapy for the underlying disorder, unlike the treatment of Bell’s palsy that is controversial due to the lack of large, randomized, controlled, prospective studies. There are some indications that steroids or antiviral agents are beneficial but there are also studies that show no beneficial effect. Additional treatments include eye protection, physiotherapy, acupuncture, botulinum toxin, or surgery. Bell’s palsy has a benign prognosis with complete recovery in about 80% of patients, 15% experience some mode of permanent nerve damage and severe consequences remain in 5% of patients.
Keywords
Bell palsy – diagnosis; Bell palsy – therapy; Acupuncture
Hrčak ID:
111217
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2013.
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