Bells Palsy

Differential diagnosis

  • Malignancy – brain
  • Stroke
  • Ramsay Hunt syndrome
  • Bell’s Palsy

 

Data gathering

  • Red flags – fluid filled spots, limb weakness
  • Others
  • Examine

 

Clinical management

  • Investigations
  • Explanation
    • weakness of the face muscle due to facial nerve being affected
    • cause not well understood – probably viral infection
  • Treatment
    • improves after 2 weeks, gone by around 2 months
    • small number left with a slight weakness
    • Prednisolone – 25mg BD for 10 days (IF within 72hours)
  • Followup / Safety-net