FYI on Bell's Palsy:
This is what my neurologist told me today. It just so happens that I
seem to have contracted a mild case of Bell's palsy over the weekend. Not
exactly the way I'd like to find out about something, but there's a good
side to the story.
Bell's palsy is caused by damage to one of the facial nerves. I know
that one of the causes is by a viral inflammation of the nerve, which
takes place behind the ear. There, the nerve is in a bony canal that
doesn't allow it to expand much when irritated, and can cause damage to
the nerve. However, if diagnosed and treated quickly, the inflammation of
the nerve can be reduced. My doctor prescribed some kind of
cortisone-based drug (I can't remember the name of it -- predestilone or
something), which he said would reduce swelling in the nerve. In addition
to medication, he directed me to massage my face several times daily, and
to practice excercising my facial muscles as much as possible. The latter
is kind of hard to do because even though I'm trying as hard as I can, I
don't feel like I'm doing anything. I guess it's like pushing on a
mountain or something--you get stronger but don't seem to be doing
anything.
He also did some nerve conductivity tests, eye blink reflect tests, and
a needle-electrode test to determine the status of the facial nerve. He
said these tests are very helpful to determine the necessity of surgery in
the treatment. If the tests show that the nerve is unresponsive to any
stimulation, then he said that an ear/nose/throat surgeon can perform an
operation to chip away the bony canal that surrounds the nerve. (I guess
the nerve comes out of the skull near the lower base of the ear. Pain in
that area is a symptom that helped him diagnose the problem.)
He told me of a case where a patient had come to him late in the
progression of the condition and had been unresponsive to the tests. The
operation was performed and he was almost fully recovered in a few months.
The doctor told me that the most probable reason that I got the virus
in the nerve was due to swimming in very cold water, which I had done
(for less than a minute!) the day before I started noticing symptoms.
Apparently, exposure to extreme cold is one of the causes. I also feel
that my immune system may have been depressed more than usual, because I
have been exposed to MUCH colder water/wind/weather in the past, for MUCH
longer periods of time than I was on Saturday. He told me to avoid
exposure to cold like that again until I have recovered. (not too hard to
figure out). I'm 25 now; I don't feel or look my age at all, but I guess
I need to be a little less carefree when it comes to taking care of my
health. (ie no more polar-bearing). He said skiing, and hiking/camping in
the cold could also be a cause.
Thankfully, I was very responsive to most of the testing, and am
awaiting his decision whether surgery is necessary. I'm glad that I went
in to see a neurologist once I noticed that my symptoms were getting
worse. On Sunday, my tongue/mouth was starting to get a coated/numb
feeling. By Sunday night, my lips were twitching just every so slightly.
All during Monday, my right eyelids were twitching uncontrollably off and
on. Tuesday morning, I had only 25-50% control over my right eyelid and
facial muscles. Kind of a 3/4 smile effect. Today (Wednesday) when I got
up, I had 0-5% control of my right-hand facial muscles. I felt just like
I had novacaine (sp?) in the right side of my face, except for the fact
that I had sensation in the affected area. It was scary. I was fortunate
enough to have had an appointment to see the doctor that morning. I was
very glad to find out that he knew exactly what my symptoms were before I
even told him. I wasn't sure what had happened and it was a relief to be
in the hands of a competent neurologist. I'm hoping that all of the dough
I forked out will be worth it and I can recover 100%. Nobody likes to be
limited to making half a smile. When i try to raise my eyebrows, I look
like Spock or Popeye. Once I do recover, I'll be a smiling fool for the
rest of my life because I won't ever take a full smile for granted again!
I also believe that faith in God and prayer have helped out a lot.
It's helped me face this challenge with more determination and optimism.
I usually pray daily anyway, but I'm sure that everyone who believes God
prays a LOT harder when problems like this come up!
I hope this info has been 'informational' for you, Tom. If you have
any more questions, you can email me at work (dk_larson at pnl.gov). My
neurologists name is Dr. TD Lahiri. He can be reached at (509) 943-3159.
Have a good one!
Darren K Larson
Pacific Northwest Laboratory
PO BOX 999/K5-25
Richland, Washington
99352
(509) 375-3998 (daytime)
