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health advisory Hospital Doctor Yu 2007-11-8 19:08:45

Answers:

Bell's Palsy is a result of damage to the facial nerve(s) caused, it is widely believed, by a herpes infection. Herpes in any form, and this includes shingles, genital herpes, and even the herpes that causes cold sores, is not (currently) curable; it can only be suppressed by medications. Also, damage to nerves (as occurs in Bell's) is often permanent since nerve tissue usually does not regenerate on its own.

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Not 100% sure but think it is a virus. I know someone who has this. Her face looks like she has had a stroke.

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It is.in a way. It can be helped and usually resolves in a few weeks. It has to do with undo pressure on cranial nerve IV. Check out webmd.com .

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For one thing we are never really sure what causes it. Bell's Palsy is paralysis of the muscles innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII, not IV), usually on one side of the face (bilateral Bell's Palsy is rare and can be a sign of a serious intracranial problem). It is believed to be the result of inflammation and/or injury to the nerve. Often, it is believed to be the result of a herpes zoster flare (shingles). Sometimes it may be result of physical or temperature injury to the nerve. At a very early presentation (within 3 days), steroids can be used to decrease the inflammation of the nerve and "cure" it, but in most cases you just have to wait for it to resolve on its own.

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