Facial Nerve Palsy | Ear Specialist Dr Rebecca Heywood

Tel: 65 6950 2869

Facial Nerve Palsy

What is Facial Nerve Palsy?

Facial palsy is a very distressing condition for any patient. It is temporary or permanent weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles. The two facial nerves (one on each side) carry nerve impulses to the muscles in the face and also to the tear glands, saliva glands and the muscle of the middle ear bone (stapes). They also transmit taste fibres from the tongue and pain fibres from the ear canal. Conditions affecting the facial nerve can cause twitching of the face, dryness of the eyes or the mouth, loss of taste, increased sensitivity to loud sound and pain in the ear.

What causes Canal Dehiscence Syndrome?

The facial nerve travels from the brain, through the ear and parotid (salivary) gland to the muscles of the face. Facial palsy can be caused by anything that damages the facial nerve along its course. This includes stroke, trauma or neurological conditions affecting the brain, underlying ear conditions (cholesteatoma, ear infection), tumours (acoustic neuroma, salivary gland) and surgical causes. The most commonly known cause of facial palsy is Bell’s Palsy. No definitive cause of Bell’s Palsy has been found, though it has been linked with viruses.

How is Facial Palsy treated?

Treatment is directed at the cause of the facial palsy. If the cause isn’t clear then scans may be ordered to make a diagnosis. Patients can often recover from Bell’s Palsy with or without treatment. Treatment may include oral steroids to reduce inflammation in the facial nerve. If the facial palsy is permanent, then facial reanimation procedures may be required to make facial expressions more symmetrical, and aid in better eating and speaking.