Is one side of your face drooping? Let's talk about facial paralysis.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and noticed that one side of your face looks a little lifeless, the corner of your mouth is drooping, or it seems like you have difficulty closing your eyes properly? This is something that can be frightening to anyone when you suddenly see it. In medical terms, we call this condition Facial Paralysis. Although it may look scary, if you understand it correctly and treat it on time, it can often be cured. Today, we will talk about this in detail, in a way that you can understand.

Simply put, what is facial paralysis?

The muscles in our face, such as when we smile, talk, or raise our eyebrows, are controlled by a special nerve that comes from the brain. This is called the Facial Nerve , or more precisely, the seventh cranial nerve (Cranial Nerve #7).

Think of this nerve as an electrical wire. The electrical signals from the brain travel along this wire to control the facial muscles. If for some reason this nerve becomes damaged, swollen, or compressed, the signals don't travel properly. That's when the muscles on one side of the face (and sometimes both sides) become weak, lifeless, and appear to droop . This is what we call facial paralysis.

Why is this happening? What are the reasons for this?

There are several possible causes of facial paralysis. Some people are born with this condition. But most often it occurs at some point in life. The main causes are damage to the facial nerve we talked about earlier or damage to the relevant part of the brain.

Let's see from the table below what are the main reasons that could affect this.

How does a doctor diagnose this? (Diagnosis)

It's important to see a doctor as soon as you experience symptoms like this. The doctor will first ask you about your symptoms and any other medical conditions you may have. Then, they will perform a physical examination.

During this test, the doctor will ask you to do things like:

• Close and open your eyes tightly.
• Raise both eyebrows.
• Smile.
• Blow your mouth.
• Scrunch your face.

While doing these, he carefully observes whether there is a difference in the way the muscles on both sides of the face work.

In addition to this test, further tests may be needed to determine the exact cause.

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or CT (Computed Tomography) scans: These can look for a lump, swelling, or other damage inside the brain or along the nerve pathways.
• EMG (Electromyography) test: This measures the electrical activity of the nerves and muscles. This helps to understand the extent of nerve damage.

What are the treatments for this?

Treatment depends on the cause of the facial paralysis. For example, if it is caused by a stroke, the stroke will be treated first. If it is caused by a tumor, surgery to remove it will be considered. If it is caused by Bell's Palsy, medication and exercise will be recommended.

Treatments can be mainly divided into non-surgical and surgical.

Nonsurgical Treatments

• Corticosteroids: These are given to reduce swelling and inflammation of the nerve.
• Antivirals: These are given if it is suspected that the condition is caused by a viral infection.
• Botox injections: Sometimes, as the nerve heals, it can become misaligned, causing involuntary muscle movements (synkinesis), such as blinking when trying to smile. Botox injections are used to control these.
• Physical Therapy: Specific exercises are taught to strengthen facial muscles, restore facial symmetry, and coordinate muscle function.
• Speech Therapy: This treatment helps to restore speech and swallowing difficulties.

Surgical Treatments

• Eyelid Surgery: If you are unable to close your eyelid properly, various surgeries are performed to protect the eye and make it easier to close your eyelid. Sometimes, a surgery may be performed to insert small weights to help the eyelid close more easily.
• Facial Reanimation Surgery: This is a slightly more complex surgery. Muscles or nerves are taken from other parts of the body and transplanted to the face to try to restore facial movements (e.g., smiling).
• Lumbar discectomy: If the cause is a lump, it is removed to relieve pressure on the nerve.
• Cosmetic Surgery: Surgeries such as brow lifts and facelifts can be performed to create balance and symmetry on both sides of the face.

Facial paralysis and your eyes

This is very important. If you can't close your eyelids properly due to facial paralysis, your eyes will be constantly open, which can lead to chronic dry eyes. This can damage the surface of the eye, cause infections, and even affect your vision.

Therefore, the doctor recommends the following to protect your eyes:

• Using eye drops and ointments.
• Applying a plaster to the eyelid while sleeping, as advised by a doctor.
• Wearing an eye patch.
• Temporary eyelid suture closure.

When should you see a doctor immediately?

Especially if you have these symptoms in addition to facial drooping, it could be a sign of a stroke. If this happens, you should immediately go to the Emergency Department (ETU) of the nearest hospital .

• Difficulty speaking, slurring of words
• Difficulty walking, loss of balance
• Sudden blurred vision or double vision
• Numbness or tingling in an arm or leg

Is this a permanent situation?

In most cases, especially in cases like Bell's Palsy, this is temporary. It usually resolves completely within a few months with or without treatment. However, in some cases, it can be permanent, depending on the extent of the damage to the nerve.

Does stress affect this?

Although this is not 100% scientifically proven, doctors believe that there is a link between high stress levels and Bell's Palsy. It is believed that stress weakens the body's immune system, which can damage the facial nerve.

Facial Paralysis, Facial twitching, Bell's Palsy, Stroke, Facial nerve, Medical advice