Other research, however, identified, out of a total of 176 cases diagnosed as Bells palsy, HSV-1 in 31 cases (18%) and herpes zoster in 45 cases (26%).In addition, HSV-1 infection is associated with demyelination of nerves. This nerve damage mechanism is different from the above-mentioned—that edema, swelling and compression of the nerve in the narrow bone canal is responsible for nerve damage. Demyelination may not even be directly caused by the virus, but by an unknown immune response. Diagnosis
Bells palsy is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning it is diagnosed by elimination of other reasonable possibilities. By definition, no specific cause can be determined. There are no routine lab or imaging tests required to make the diagnosis. The degree of nerve damage can be assessed using the House-Brackmann score. One study found that 45% of patients are not referred to a specialist, which suggests that Bells palsy is considered by physicians to be a straightforward diagnosis that is easy to manage.Other conditions that can cause similar symptoms include herpes zoster, Lyme disease, sarcoidosis, stroke, and brain tumors. Differential diagnosis
Once the facial paralysis sets in, many people may mistake it as a symptom of a stroke; however, there are a few subtle differences. A stroke will usually cause a few additional symptoms, such as numbness or weakness in the arms and legs. And unlike Bells palsy, a stroke will usually let patients control the upper part of their faces.
It can affect anyone of any gender and age, but its incidence seems to be highest in those in the 15- to 45-year-old age group. History
The Persian physician Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (865–925) detailed the first known description of peripheral and central facial palsy.Cornelis Stalpart van der Wiel (1620–1702) in 1683 gave an account of Bells palsy and credited the Persian physician Ibn Sina (980–1037) for describing this condition before him. James Douglas (1675–1742) and Nicolaus Anton Friedreich (1761–1836) also described it. Scottish neurophysiologist Sir Charles Bell read his paper to the Royal Society of London on July 12, 1821, describing the role of the facial nerve. He became the first to detail the neuroanatomical basis of facial paralysis. Since then, idiopathic peripheral facial paralysis has been referred to as Bells palsy, named after him.A notable person with Bells palsy is former Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chrétien. During the 1993 Canadian federal election, Chrétiens first as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, the opposition Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ran an attack ad in which voice actors criticized him over images that seemed to highlight his abnormal facial expressions. The ad was interpreted as an attack on Chrétiens physical appearance and garnered widespread anger among the public, while Chrétien used the ad to make himself more sympathetic to voters. The ad had the adverse effect of increasing Chrétiens lead in the polls and the subsequent backlash clinched the election for the Liberals, which the party won in a landslide. References
External links

Bells palsy at Curlie