What is facial nerve disorders?
Facial nerve disorders are the result of damage to the nerves that control facial expression and movement. Facial weakness or paralysis can occur following a stroke, surgery, trauma, viral infection, or as the result of a tumor.
What causes damage to the 7th cranial nerve?
Other causes of sudden one-sided facial nerve paralysis include a traumatic head injury, which may damage the seventh cranial nerve; a stroke, which occurs as a result of a loss of blood supply to the brain stem; a viral infection, such as herpes simplex or herpes zoster; or, more rarely, Lyme disease.
What causes 7th cranial nerve palsy?
Commonly referred to as Bell’s Palsy, 7th Nerve Palsy causes sudden weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face. The condition can be caused by a number of factors, including an immune disorder, shingles, lyme disease and other viruses, and in some cases is congenital.
What cause facial nerve problems?
There are numerous causes of facial nerve disorder:
- Trauma such as birth trauma, skull base fractures, facial injuries, middle ear injuries, or surgical trauma.
- Nervous system disease including stroke involving the brain stem.
- Infection of the ear or face, or herpes zoster of the facial nerve (Ramsay Hunt syndrome)
What are the signs of nerve damage in the face?
Symptoms. Facial nerve disorders can cause weakness on one or both sides of your face. You might lose your facial expressions, and find it difficult to eat, drink and speak clearly. It can also become difficult to close your eye and blink, which can lead to damage to your cornea.
What are the symptoms of nerve damage?
The signs of nerve damage
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
- Feeling like you’re wearing a tight glove or sock.
- Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs.
- Regularly dropping objects that you’re holding.
- Sharp pains in your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
- A buzzing sensation that feels like a mild electrical shock.
Can facial nerve damage repair itself?
The facial nerve, if well approximated on each side at the site of the injury, can gradually regenerate itself so that gradual improvement is expected. Facial nerve damage symptoms, such as dry eye, are treated with lubricating eye drops.
How do you heal the 7th cranial nerve?
Corticosteroids. Corticosteroid medications reduce swelling in the seventh cranial nerve. Medication is taken by mouth once a day for 10 to 14 days to ensure the nerve recovers. If your symptoms indicate that the herpes zoster virus is causing inflammation, your doctor may recommend a stronger dose of corticosteroids.
What are the best vitamins for nerve damage?
B Vitamins Vitamins B-1, B-6, and B-12 have been found to be especially beneficial for treating neuropathy. Vitamin B-1, also known as thiamine, helps to reduce pain and inflammation and vitamin B-6 preserves the covering on nerve endings.
What are the most common facial nerve disorders?
Epidemiology: European, Children, Summer & Fall Most affected (Lower face): Lip opening; Centrifugal mouth movement Less affected: Lip closure; Centripetal mouth movement; Upper face Emotional palsy (Concurrent volitional impairment): Brainstem; Internal capsule; Basal ganglia Anterior cerebral artery lesions: Eyelid closure
What are the symptoms of idiopathic facial nerve palsy?
Facial nerve (7th cranial nerve) palsy is often idiopathic (formerly called Bell palsy). Idiopathic facial nerve palsy is sudden, unilateral peripheral facial nerve palsy. Symptoms of facial nerve palsy are hemifacial paresis of the upper and lower face.
What is the function of the 7th nerve in the face?
In order to better understand the nature and causes of facial nerve palsy, it is worthwhile to consider the anatomy of the facial nerve including its location and functions. This nerve, known as cranial nerve 7 (CN VII), is the seventh paired cranial nerve and it is mainly a motor nerve.
How are the muscles of the face innervated?
Sensation on the face is innervated by the trigeminal nerves (V) as are the muscles of mastication, but the muscles of facial expression are innervated mainly by the facial nerve (VII) as is the sensation of taste.