MRCP UK EXAMINATIONS

Detailed explanation-1: -Bell’s palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis, although its exact cause is unknown. It results from dysfunction of cranial nerve VII, which connects your brain to the muscles that control facial expression (the nerve also is involved with taste and ear sensation).

Detailed explanation-2: -(Bell Palsy; Bell’s 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.

Detailed explanation-3: -Bell palsy is a disorder of the nerve that controls movement of the muscles in the face. This nerve is called the facial or seventh cranial nerve. Damage to this nerve causes weakness or paralysis of these muscles. Paralysis means that you cannot use the muscles at all.

Detailed explanation-4: -Facial nerve palsy includes both paralysis (complete loss of function) and paresis (weakness) of the seventh cranial nerve (CN 7). CN 7 is a mixed nerve providing both sensory afferents and motor efferent fibers.

Detailed explanation-5: -Other causes of peripheral seventh nerve palsy include: neoplasm, trauma, middle ear infections, parotid gland surgery, granulomatous or carcinomatous meningitis, and diabetes. The disturbances of function produced by these lesions need not be complete.