Cranial nerve 7 paralysis is also known as facial paralysis. This condition is more and more common in all ages, making the patient’s psychology bewildered and worried. So what is facial paralysis? What are the telltale signs? What is the cause? In this article, we will answer all of these questions for you.
What is facial paralysis?
No matter what age you are, no matter what gender you are, you will have an extremely high risk of having facial paralysis if you are careless and don’t take care of your body, especially if you don’t keep your body warm.
Cranial nerve 7 is a nerve that controls and moves facial muscles. Therefore, when this nerve has been damaged, paralysis, and can no longer work, of course, it will also lead to paralysis of the facial muscles and the inability to move express your emotion. In some cases, there is only one-side paralysis, while there are even cases of paralysis on both sides of the face.
In general, facial palsy is not as life-threatening as other diseases, but nevertheless, it will diminish the patient’s psychology and mental health. In addition, it can greatly affects the patient’s daily life and work.
Therefore, you need to know the symptoms and the causes of facial paralysis in order to have the most timely and effective treatment. Because the longer you leave it, the more likely it will lead to unpredictable complications.
The symptoms of cranial nerve VII paralysis
The signs and symptoms are very easy to recognize after having facial paralysis. You can easily identify the condition via the following signs:
- You can fall into one of the cases of a quarter of your face being paralyzed, half of your face being paralyzed, or it can be paralysis of the whole face.
- When the cranial nerve VII has been paralyzed, you will feel the face is a bit stiff and the feeling of sagging, especially on the two sides of the mouth. One side will have a slight drop to it while the other is not.
- In some cases, the eyes cannot even be fully closed while the eyebrows is dropped.
- You may experience headaches, pain in the ear, discharge from the ear, difficulty talking, and sound sensitivity.
- Difficulty in eating and swallowing is possible.
- The salivary glands are overactive, causing the patient to drool. When eating, you may not feel the taste of the food.
- Lisping and being unable to speak properly.
- You can’t express emotions with your face.
The causes of facial paralysis
After knowing what the signs and symptoms of 7th nerve palsy are, as well as what is facial paralysis. Next, you will need to know what causes this phenomenon. Only then can we find the most effective treatment methods.
There are many causes of facial palsy such as viruses, ear damage, or related diseases. However, the common cause that is encountered in most people is cold exposure, especially at the head, ears or neck, causing the 7th nerve to suddenly become cold. As a result, blood vessels cannot circulate, leading to paralysis of the nerves and eventually, facial paralysis.
Check out: Is facial palsy treatable?
Just like any disease, early diagnosis, screening, and treatment will result in a higher chance of recovery. The best time to cure any health problem is when it is newly discovered. At this time, it is necessary to visit a doctor to receive immediate treatment. The longer it is being neglected, the more serious the condition it will become. Facial paralysis is no exception either.
Usually, people with facial palsy for a long time seek methods such as acupuncture or Chinese medicine or apply the more advanced method in Western medicine, which is surgery, during the early stage of the condition. This means that it is possible to cure long-term facial paralysis. However, not all cosmetic facilities can deal with this condition as the success rate is not high and it can cost you a fortune if you have your surgery performed at any facility that does not have a surgeon with experience in treating persistent facial palsy.
Through this article, you must have had your answer to the question “what is facial paralysis”. We hope that the information we provided can help you to understand more about facial paralysis. If you still have any questions, leave a comment on our website and we will answer them promptly.
