Sudden-onset idiopathic facial palsy is representative of Bell’s palsy and Ramsay-Hunt syndrome of unknown cause. Getty Image Bank
Facial palsy means that the face is paralyzed. It can be mainly divided into traumatic facial palsy, which occurs as a result of facial nerve injury or facial fracture caused by a traffic accident, and idiopathic facial palsy, which occurs due to a central or peripheral nerve abnormality. In particular, the golden time for facial paralysis caused by neurological abnormalities is 72 hours, so it is necessary to know the signs (precursor symptoms) and receive active treatment immediately after the onset. Explore the symptoms of facial palsy and how to treat it.
Facial palsy caused by abnormalities of the central nervous system is caused by problems in the brain itself, such as cerebral haemorrhage and cerebral infarction. As facial palsy is one of the main symptoms of cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke or brain tumour, it is best to visit the emergency room immediately if you experience any adverse reactions such as a throbbing mouth or not move
Facial palsy caused by peripheral nerve abnormalities is representative of Bell’s palsy and Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. Bell’s palsy, the most common of the facial palsies, is a facial nerve palsy that occurs without a specific cause, and is known to occur in 20 to 30 people per 100,000 people each year.
Facial nerve palsy can also occur when shingles affects the facial nerve. This is called Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome. It is often accompanied by a blistering rash around the ear and in the ear canal, and it also appears together with ear pain or hearing loss. Ramsay-Hunt syndrome is generally more severe than Bell’s palsy.
Kang Joong-won, professor of acupuncture and acupuncture at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, Kyung Hee University, said, “The golden time for treating facial paralysis is 72 hours. You need to go to the hospital and get treatment,” he said. him
“Facial palsy continues to worsen as treatment time is delayed due to a race against time, so the best course of action for patients to take when facial palsy occurs is to visit a medical facility without delay and be very active in treatment from the start.” he emphasized.
A typical precursor symptom of facial palsy is ‘earache’. It is characterized by feeling pain in the bone (mastoid process), the size of the upper part of the thumb, located at the base of the back of the ear a few days before the disease begins. After that, the sense of taste declines. 2-3 days before the onset of the disease, the sense of taste is lost. Of course, not all of these symptoms lead to facial paralysis.
In addition, when the symptoms of sleeping with the eyes open suddenly occur due to a spasm in the facial muscles or the inability to close the eyes completely during sleep, sudden dry eye syndrome occurs due to a lack of tear secretion, or when symptoms of outward flow even if tears are secreted appear, facial paralysis can be suspected.
The treatment of facial palsy is difficult to speak uniformly because each patient has different degrees of nerve damage which affects the degree of symptoms. Bell’s palsy is generally treated with medication and physical therapy in both directions, and in oriental medicine, acupuncture and myoelectric stimulation. Assuming moderate facial palsy is properly treated from the start, the recovery period takes about two to two and a half months after onset. Of course, depending on the case, the time may be shorter than this, and in severe cases, after-effects may persist without any recovery even after treatment.
Professor Kang said, “The treatment period is inevitably different depending on the patient’s age or the patient’s condition and physical condition.” The most important preventive measure is to restore general health, as the likelihood of developing the disease increases.”
“Even if it feels vague, I want to ensure the quantity and quality of meals and sleep, and protect myself from excessive stress,” she says. “It is also important to prevent physical fatigue from building up immediately and maintain muscle strength through it. regular exercise.” he advised.
Reporter Lim Tae-gyun
