Bell’s Palsy: Bell’s Palsy’s Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Bell’s palsy may be defined as an acute, unilateral, idiopathic, facial nerve paralysis. It occurs when facial nerve is inflamed, swollen or compressed in the facial bony canal, resulting in paralysis of facial muscles on one side of the face (ipsilateral side). Facial nerve is seventh cranial nerve which originates in the pons, a part of brain stem. It controls the movements of the muscles of facial expression, including smiling, frowning, closing the eyes, raising the eyebrows, and forming facial expressions. It also provides sensory innervation to a small area of the external ear and transmits taste information from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue via the chorda tympani branch.