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Bell's palsy

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Definition:

Bell's palsy is a temporary form of facial paralysis . It results from damage to the nerve that controls movement of the muscles in the face.

Alternative Names:

Facial palsy; Idiopathic peripheral facial palsy

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Bell's palsy is a form of cranial mononeuropathy VII , and it is the most common type of this nerve damage. Bell's palsy affects about 2 in 10,000 people.

Bell's palsy involves damage to the seventh cranial (facial) nerve. This nerve controls the movement of the muscles of the face. The cause is often not clear, although herpes infections may be involved.

Bell's palsy is thought to be linked to inflammation of the nerve in the area where it travels through the bones of the skull. Other conditions, such as sarcoidosis, diabetes, and Lyme disease, are associated with Bell's palsy.

• Review Date: 9/10/2006
• Reviewed By: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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