Treatment for Bell’s Palsy

Best treatment for Bell’s Palsy


Best treatment for Bell’s Palsy?


[A] Steroids
[B] Acyclovir
[C] Physiotherapy
[D] Surgery



  • Antivirals – No significant Benefits
  • Physiotherapy can be beneficial to some individuals with Bell’s palsy as it helps to maintain muscle tone of the affected facial muscles
  • Surgery may be able to improve outcomes in facial nerve palsy that has not recovered.

Most people with Bell’s palsy start to regain normal facial function within 3 weeks—even those who do not receive treatment


Most common cause of facial weakness


Bell palsy – lacrimation and taste are typically affected as well—a fact that can be


Differential diagnosis –


Weakness predominates while lacrimation and taste are intact – Then consider following differential diagnosis


  • Facial nerve is affected more distally after its exit from the skull base via the stylomastoid foramen
  • Facial nerve is affected proximally within the brainstem – intramedullary fascicle (fascicular lesion) or in the facial nerve nucleus itself (nuclear lesion).

  • The most common cause of facial weakness is damage to the facial nerve in the petrous canal:
  • Bell palsy
  • Caused by a viral infection [ probably ]
  • Viral infection Leads to – Inflammatory swelling of the nerve
  • Inflammation and swelling of nerve – Leads to pressure on the nerve in the canal which cause ischemia.
  • This disorder called as idiopathic or crypto genic facial nerve palsy (Eponym – Bell palsy)


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