Facial Paralysis

A paralysis or weakness of one side of the face can be an alarming and depressing event in one’s life. At first it conjures up the notion of having developed a stroke, when in fact there are a myriad of other causes.

There are certain features of a paralysis that are worth noting. First, is it really a paralysis or is it a weakness of facial movement or numbness in the face. Sensation of the face is transmitted by the trigeminal nerve while movement of the face is transmitted by the facial nerve and is the subject of our discussion. Is the entire face on one side weak? If the weakness involves the entire face including eyebrow motion, the problem can be isolated to the facial nerve. If the mid-face and lower-face are paralyzed but eyebrow motion is normal, then the problem may be isolated to regions within the brain, where the facial nerve fibers run. Associated weakness of the arm or leg would also point to a problem within the brain possible affecting other nerves. Is it a weakness or a complete paralysis of the face? This is an important distinction and will be discussed further.