EMGs can confirm the presence of nerve damage and determine the severity and the extent of nerve involvement. Electromyography (EMG), which uses thin wire electrodes that are inserted into a muscle to assess changes in electrical activity during movement and when the muscle is at rest.
If no specific cause can be identified, the condition can be diagnosed as Bell's palsy. Routine laboratory or imaging studies are not necessary for most cases, but sometimes they can help to confirm your diagnosis or rule out other diseases or conditions that can cause facial weakness (e.g., brain tumor, stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Lyme disease). There is no specific laboratory test to confirm diagnosis of the disorder. During the exam, the doctor will rule out other possible causes of facial paralysis. How is Bell's palsy diagnosed and treated?Ī doctor will examine you for any upper and lower facial muscle weakness on one side of your face (including the forehead, eyelid, and mouth) that began in less than 72 hours. Damage to the myelin sheath (fatty covering that insulates nerve fibers).Infection of a facial nerve and resulting inflammation.Impaired immunity from stress, sleep deprivation, physical trauma, minor illness, or autoimmune syndromes.Possible triggers of Bell's palsy may include: Risk factors for Bell's palsy include pregnancy, preeclampsia, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and upper respiratory ailments. It can affect anyone of any gender and age but seems to be highest in those in people 15 to 45 years old. Who is more likely to get Bell's palsy?īell's palsy is estimated to affect about 40,000 people in the United States every year.
Sometimes the facial weakness may last longer or be permanent.īell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis, although its exact cause is unknown. It results from dysfunction of cranial nerve VII, which connects your brain to the muscles that control facial expression (the nerve also is involved with taste and ear sensation). In rare cases, Bell's palsy can affect both sides of your face. Symptoms appear suddenly over a 48- to 72-hour period and generally start to improve with or without treatment after a few weeks. They vary from person to person and can be mild to severe. Usually, you will recover some or all facial function within a few weeks to six months. People living with Bell's palsy may also develop: Most often these symptoms lead to significant facial distortions.
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