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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough a mild case of Bell's palsy normally disappears within a month, recovery from a case involving total paralysis varies. Complications may include:
- Irreversible damage to your facial nerve
- Misdirected regrowth of nerve fibers, resulting in involuntary contraction of certain muscles when you're trying to move others (synkinesis) — for example, when you smile, the eye on the affected side may close
- Partial or complete blindness of the eye that won't close, due to excessive dryness and scratching of the cornea, the clear protective covering of the eye
References
- Bell's palsy fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/bells/detail_bells.htm. Accessed Nov. 10, 2009.
- Ronthal M. Bell's palsy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 11, 2009.
- Bell's palsy. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/bellsPalsy.cfm. Accessed Nov. 10, 2009.
- Bell's palsy. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch219/ch219i.html. Accessed Nov. 11, 2009.
- Cardoso JR, et al. Effects of exercises on Bell's palsy: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ontology & Neurotology. 2008;29:557.
- De Almeida JR, et al. Combined corticosteroid and antiviral treatment for Bell palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2009;302:985.
