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American Family Physician Oct 2007Bell's palsy is a peripheral palsy of the facial nerve that results in muscle weakness on one side of the face. Affected patients develop unilateral facial paralysis... (Review)
Review
Bell's palsy is a peripheral palsy of the facial nerve that results in muscle weakness on one side of the face. Affected patients develop unilateral facial paralysis over one to three days with forehead involvement and no other neurologic abnormalities. Symptoms typically peak in the first week and then gradually resolve over three weeks to three months. Bell's palsy is more common in patients with diabetes, and although it can affect persons of any age, incidence peaks in the 40s. Bell's palsy has been traditionally defined as idiopathic; however, one possible etiology is infection with herpes simplex virus type 1. Laboratory evaluation, when indicated by history or risk factors, may include testing for diabetes mellitus and Lyme disease. A common short-term complication of Bell's palsy is incomplete eyelid closure with resultant dry eye. A less common long-term complication is permanent facial weakness with muscle contractures. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of patients will recover spontaneously; however, treatment with a seven-day course of acyclovir or valacyclovir and a tapering course of prednisone, initiated within three days of the onset of symptoms, is recommended to reduce the time to full recovery and increase the likelihood of complete recuperation.
Topics: Acyclovir; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antiviral Agents; Bell Palsy; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Prednisone; Valacyclovir; Valine
PubMed: 17956069
DOI: No ID Found -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Apr 2014Bell's palsy is characterised by an acute, unilateral, partial, or complete paralysis of the face. Bell's palsy occurs in a lower motor neurone pattern. The weakness may... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Bell's palsy is characterised by an acute, unilateral, partial, or complete paralysis of the face. Bell's palsy occurs in a lower motor neurone pattern. The weakness may be partial or complete, and may be associated with mild pain, numbness, increased sensitivity to sound, and altered taste. Bell's palsy is idiopathic, but a proportion of cases may be caused by re-activation of herpes virus at the geniculate ganglion of the facial nerve. Bell's palsy is most common in people aged 15 to 40 years, with a 1 in 60 lifetime risk. Most people make a spontaneous recovery within 1 month, but up to 30% show delayed or incomplete recovery.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of drug treatments for Bell's palsy in adults and children? What are the effects of physical treatments for Bell's palsy in adults and children? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to October 2013 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 13 studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: antiviral treatment, corticosteroids (alone or with antiviral treatment), hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and facial re-training.
Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Antiviral Agents; Bell Palsy; Facial Nerve; Humans
PubMed: 24717284
DOI: No ID Found -
American Family Physician Apr 2023Bell palsy should be suspected in patients with acute onset of unilateral facial weakness or paralysis involving the forehead in the absence of other neurologic... (Review)
Review
Bell palsy should be suspected in patients with acute onset of unilateral facial weakness or paralysis involving the forehead in the absence of other neurologic abnormalities. The overall prognosis is good. More than two-thirds of patients with typical Bell palsy have a complete spontaneous recovery. For children and pregnant women, the rate of complete recovery is up to 90%. Bell palsy is idiopathic. Laboratory testing and imaging are not required for diagnosis. When other causes of facial weakness are being considered, laboratory testing may identify a treatable cause. An oral corticosteroid regimen (prednisone, 50 to 60 mg per day for five days followed by a five-day taper) is the first-line treatment for Bell palsy. Combination therapy with an oral corticosteroid and antiviral may reduce rates of synkinesis (misdirected regrowth of facial nerve fibers manifesting as involuntary co-contraction of certain facial muscles). Recommended antivirals include valacyclovir (1 g three times per day for seven days) or acyclovir (400 mg five times per day for 10 days). Treatment with antivirals alone is ineffective and not recommended. Physical therapy may be beneficial in patients with more severe paralysis.
Topics: Child; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Acyclovir; Antiviral Agents; Bell Palsy; Paralysis; Valacyclovir
PubMed: 37054419
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and... Dec 2015Bell's palsy is a common cranial neuropathy causing acute unilateral lower motor neuron facial paralysis. Immune, infective and ischaemic mechanisms are all potential... (Review)
Review
Bell's palsy is a common cranial neuropathy causing acute unilateral lower motor neuron facial paralysis. Immune, infective and ischaemic mechanisms are all potential contributors to the development of Bell's palsy, but the precise cause remains unclear. Advancements in the understanding of intra-axonal signal molecules and the molecular mechanisms underpinning Wallerian degeneration may further delineate its pathogenesis along with in vitro studies of virus-axon interactions. Recently published guidelines for the acute treatment of Bell's palsy advocate for steroid monotherapy, although controversy exists over whether combined corticosteroids and antivirals may possibly have a beneficial role in select cases of severe Bell's palsy. For those with longstanding sequaelae from incomplete recovery, aesthetic, functional (nasal patency, eye closure, speech and swallowing) and psychological considerations need to be addressed by the treating team. Increasingly, multidisciplinary collaboration between interested clinicians from a wide variety of subspecialties has proven effective. A patient centred approach utilising physiotherapy, targeted botulinum toxin injection and selective surgical intervention has reduced the burden of long-term disability in facial palsy.
Topics: Bell Palsy; Combined Modality Therapy; History, 19th Century; Humans
PubMed: 25857657
DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-309563 -
Otolaryngology--head and Neck Surgery :... Nov 2013Bell's palsy, named after the Scottish anatomist, Sir Charles Bell, is the most common acute mono-neuropathy, or disorder affecting a single nerve, and is the most...
OBJECTIVE
Bell's palsy, named after the Scottish anatomist, Sir Charles Bell, is the most common acute mono-neuropathy, or disorder affecting a single nerve, and is the most common diagnosis associated with facial nerve weakness/paralysis. Bell's palsy is a rapid unilateral facial nerve paresis (weakness) or paralysis (complete loss of movement) of unknown cause. The condition leads to the partial or complete inability to voluntarily move facial muscles on the affected side of the face. Although typically self-limited, the facial paresis/paralysis that occurs in Bell's palsy may cause significant temporary oral incompetence and an inability to close the eyelid, leading to potential eye injury. Additional long-term poor outcomes do occur and can be devastating to the patient. Treatments are generally designed to improve facial function and facilitate recovery. There are myriad treatment options for Bell's palsy, and some controversy exists regarding the effectiveness of several of these options, and there are consequent variations in care. In addition, numerous diagnostic tests available are used in the evaluation of patients with Bell's palsy. Many of these tests are of questionable benefit in Bell's palsy. Furthermore, while patients with Bell's palsy enter the health care system with facial paresis/paralysis as a primary complaint, not all patients with facial paresis/paralysis have Bell's palsy. It is a concern that patients with alternative underlying etiologies may be misdiagnosed or have unnecessary delay in diagnosis. All of these quality concerns provide an important opportunity for improvement in the diagnosis and management of patients with Bell's palsy.
PURPOSE
The primary purpose of this guideline is to improve the accuracy of diagnosis for Bell's palsy, to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients with Bell's palsy, and to decrease harmful variations in the evaluation and management of Bell's palsy. This guideline addresses these needs by encouraging accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment and, when applicable, facilitating patient follow-up to address the management of long-term sequelae or evaluation of new or worsening symptoms not indicative of Bell's palsy. The guideline is intended for all clinicians in any setting who are likely to diagnose and manage patients with Bell's palsy. The target population is inclusive of both adults and children presenting with Bell's palsy. ACTION STATEMENTS: The development group made a strong recommendation that (a) clinicians should assess the patient using history and physical examination to exclude identifiable causes of facial paresis or paralysis in patients presenting with acute-onset unilateral facial paresis or paralysis, (b) clinicians should prescribe oral steroids within 72 hours of symptom onset for Bell's palsy patients 16 years and older, (c) clinicians should not prescribe oral antiviral therapy alone for patients with new-onset Bell's palsy, and (d) clinicians should implement eye protection for Bell's palsy patients with impaired eye closure. The panel made recommendations that (a) clinicians should not obtain routine laboratory testing in patients with new-onset Bell's palsy, (b) clinicians should not routinely perform diagnostic imaging for patients with new-onset Bell's palsy, (c) clinicians should not perform electrodiagnostic testing in Bell's palsy patients with incomplete facial paralysis, and (d) clinicians should reassess or refer to a facial nerve specialist those Bell's palsy patients with (1) new or worsening neurologic findings at any point, (2) ocular symptoms developing at any point, or (3) incomplete facial recovery 3 months after initial symptom onset. The development group provided the following options: (a) clinicians may offer oral antiviral therapy in addition to oral steroids within 72 hours of symptom onset for patients with Bell's palsy, and (b) clinicians may offer electrodiagnostic testing to Bell's palsy patients with complete facial paralysis. The development group offered the following no recommendations: (a) no recommendation can be made regarding surgical decompression for patients with Bell's palsy, (b) no recommendation can be made regarding the effect of acupuncture in patients with Bell's palsy, and (c) no recommendation can be made regarding the effect of physical therapy in patients with Bell's palsy.
Topics: Bell Palsy; Disease Management; Humans; Otolaryngology; Societies, Medical; United States
PubMed: 24189771
DOI: 10.1177/0194599813505967 -
Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North... Feb 2016Bell's palsy is unilateral, acute onset facial paralysis that is a common condition. One in every 65 people experiences Bell's palsy in the course of their lifetime. The... (Review)
Review
Bell's palsy is unilateral, acute onset facial paralysis that is a common condition. One in every 65 people experiences Bell's palsy in the course of their lifetime. The majority of patients afflicted with this idiopathic disorder recover facial function. Initial treatment involves oral corticosteroids, possible antiviral drugs, and protection of the eye from desiccation. A small subset of patients may be left with incomplete recovery, synkinesis, facial contracture, or hemifacial spasm. A combination of medical and surgical treatment options exist to treat the long-term sequelae of Bell's palsy.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bell Palsy; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Simplexvirus; Young Adult
PubMed: 26611696
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsc.2015.08.001 -
Deutsches Arzteblatt International Oct 2019Peripheral facial nerve palsy is the most com- mon functional disturbance of a cranial nerve. 60-75% of cases are idiopathic. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Peripheral facial nerve palsy is the most com- mon functional disturbance of a cranial nerve. 60-75% of cases are idiopathic.
METHODS
This review is based on a selective literature search proceeding from the current, updated German-language guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic facial nerve palsy.
RESULTS
The recommended drug treatment consists of prednisolone 25 mg bid for 10 days, or 60 mg qd for 5 days followed by a taper to off in decrements of 10 mg per day. This promotes full recovery (number needed to treat [NNT] = 10; 95% confidence interval [6; 20]) and lessens the risk of late sequelae such as synkinesia, autonomic disturbances, and contractures. Virostatic drugs are optional in severe cases (intense pain or suspicion of herpes zoster sine herpete) and mandatory in cases of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Corneal protection with dexpanthenol ophthalmic ointment, artificial tears, and a nocturnal moisture- retaining eye shield has been found useful in practice. In cases of incomplete recovery with residual facial weakness, both static and microsurgical dynamic methods can be used to restore facial nerve function.
CONCLUSION
Because 25-40% of cases of facial nerve palsy are not idiopathic, differential diagnosis is very important; key diagnostic methods include a clinical neurological examin- ation, otoscopy, and a lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid examination. High-level evidence supports corticosteroid treatment for the idiopathic form of the disorder.
Topics: Bell Palsy; Humans
PubMed: 31709978
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2019.0692 -
Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey Nov 2019The incidence and severity of Bell's palsy are increased in pregnancy, with most cases arising in the third trimester or postpartum period. It has been indicated that... (Review)
Review
IMPORTANCE
The incidence and severity of Bell's palsy are increased in pregnancy, with most cases arising in the third trimester or postpartum period. It has been indicated that pregnancy-related Bell's palsy has worse long-term outcomes, such as complete facial paralysis, compared with nonpregnant women and males.
OBJECTIVE
This article outlines the existing literature diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of Bell's palsy, specifically looking at the implications during pregnancy. The aim is to provide a reference for physicians treating Bell's palsy in pregnant patients.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
Existing literature on neuropathies during pregnancy, clinical presentation, and treatment of Bell's palsy was reviewed through a MEDLINE and PubMed search. Referenced articles were reviewed and used as primary source materials as appropriate.
RESULTS
Multiple clinical tests of motor function are used to establish the diagnosis of Bell's palsy including Wartenberg's lid vibration test, an abnormal eyelash occlusion test, and asymmetry with voluntary and spontaneous smiling. Optimal treatment for Bell's palsy remains controversial. While early treatment with corticosteroids for 10 days is highly recommended, the simultaneous use of antiviral therapy is frequently performed but has less supporting evidence. Pregnancy itself and delay in treatment initiation are associated with persistent nerve palsy, whereas treatment started within 3 days of symptom onset is usually associated with full recovery. Recurrence of Bell's palsy in pregnancy is rare.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
To date, there is limited literature in the diagnosis and treatment of Bell's palsy during pregnancy. The prognosis of Bell's palsy in pregnancy is worse than in nonpregnant individuals. Early treatment with steroids is recommended, but not without risk.
Topics: Bell Palsy; Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; Disease Management; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Prognosis
PubMed: 31755544
DOI: 10.1097/OGX.0000000000000732 -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... Jun 2022
Topics: Bell Palsy; Humans
PubMed: 35760429
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.220267 -
Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.) Apr 2017Bell's palsy is a common outpatient problem, and while the diagnosis is usually straightforward, a number of diagnostic pitfalls can occur, and a lengthy differential... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Bell's palsy is a common outpatient problem, and while the diagnosis is usually straightforward, a number of diagnostic pitfalls can occur, and a lengthy differential diagnosis exists. Recognition and management of Bell's palsy relies on knowledge of the anatomy and function of the various motor and nonmotor components of the facial nerve. Avoiding diagnostic pitfalls relies on recognizing red flags or features atypical for Bell's palsy, suggesting an alternative cause of peripheral facial palsy.
RECENT FINDINGS
The first American Academy of Neurology (AAN) evidence-based review on the treatment of Bell's palsy in 2001 concluded that corticosteroids were probably effective and that the antiviral acyclovir was possibly effective in increasing the likelihood of a complete recovery from Bell's palsy. Subsequent studies led to a revision of these recommendations in the 2012 evidence-based review, concluding that corticosteroids, when used shortly after the onset of Bell's palsy, were "highly likely" to increase the probability of recovery of facial weakness and should be offered; the addition of an antiviral to steroids may increase the likelihood of recovery but, if so, only by a very modest effect.
SUMMARY
Bell's palsy is characterized by the spontaneous acute onset of unilateral peripheral facial paresis or palsy in isolation, meaning that no features from the history, neurologic examination, or head and neck examination suggest a specific or alternative cause. In this setting, no further testing is necessary. Even without treatment, the outcome of Bell's palsy is favorable, but treatment with corticosteroids significantly increases the likelihood of improvement.
Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adult; Aged; Bell Palsy; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 28375913
DOI: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000447