Causes and Treatment

Causes and Treatment of Facial Paralysis

For in depth articles and information about Bell's Palsy and Facial Paraysis, please visit the The Facial Paralysis Institute. We go into great detail on each of these causes and treatment of facial paralysis found below.

Bell's Palsy

Bell's Palsy is a type of facial paralysis with a cause that is yet unknown for sure. TB, polio and Lyme disease are rare causes, problems with blood vessels in the inner ear is a possible cause and recent developments in research have shown a link to an infection of the facial nerve by herpes zoster. This condition is usually treated with a combination of antiviral drugs and steroids.
Tumor

Tumors can cause facial paralysis if they lie upon the facial nerve, compressing it. The treatment for a tumor will depend entirely on the type that it is, although brain surgery for removal common.

Stroke

Nuclear lesions (lacunar infarctions or infarctions of the pontine arteries) can cause facial paralysis. Treatment works best when the condition is caught very early on and a CT scan is carried out to determine the type of stroke and thus the method of treatment.

Infection

A link between the herpes zoster virus and facial paralysis has been found, and as mentioned above the treatment involves steroids and antiviral drugs.

Another infection that can cause facial paralysis is that of otitis media, where infection begins in the middle ear and spreads to the facial nerve. This infection is treated a little differently, with antibiotics and decompression if necessary).
Congenital Facial Paralysis

Facial paralysis can be present from birth in the form of Moebius syndrome. This condition is caused by under-formation of the facial nerve in the womb. There is no cure for this syndrome, but there are treatments to improve the symptoms, such as reconstructive surgery for the facial paralysis. 

Trauma

A fracture of the skull covering the temporal lobe of the brain can cause facial paralysis, as this is where the facial nerve is located. If the nerve is damaged directly at the time of trauma by fractured bone there may be few courses of treatment available. Swelling after trauma, however, can usually be controlled with steroids. 

Other Rare Causes:

Sarcoidosis of the nervous system, although rare, can cause facial paralysis as granulomas grow on or around the facial nerve. The use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressant drugs have shown to be successful. 

Facial Paralysis and Bell's Palsy Foundation
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