Inflammation of the facial nerve, or neuritis, is a condition where the nerve responsible for the muscles of the face becomes inflamed or swells. This leads to the fact that a person cannot close his eyes normally, smiles wryly, in addition, the inflamed half of the face looks as if sagging. Everyone can suffer from this disease, however, in people under the age of 15 and over 60, neuritis is practically not found.
In people who have suffered inflammation of the facial nerve, a repeated manifestation of the disease often occurs. Quite often, the disease affects the previously unaffected side of the face. Symptoms of neuritis within two weeks become less pronounced, and the final recovery can occur only after six months.
Signs of neuritis:
- Sudden onset of weakness or complete immobilization of muscles on one side of the face;
- Mimic movements are significantly complicated; one half of the face sagged;
- On the inflamed area of the face, pain in the ear and jaw;
- Feeling irritated by all kinds of sounds;
- Headache;
- Taste sensations significantly changed;
- Frequent and profuse lacrimation and salivation;
- Very rarely, nerve inflammation affects both sides of the face.
If you are concerned about the above symptoms, immediately seek medical help to exclude the possibility of a stroke or other equally serious diseases.
Causes
Quite often, inflammation of the facial nerve is associated with the transferred herpes virus, which causes cold sores on the lips, as well as genital herpes. Much less often, neuritis can be caused by other diseases and viruses, such as: respiratory tract infection, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes zoster (it is he who causes chickenpox and shingles), cytomegalovirus, first trimester pregnancy, postpartum week, diabetes.
Persons whose close relatives were susceptible to this disease have a genetic predisposition to neuritis.
Complications of the disease
Often with facial neuritis, the symptoms of the disease disappear very soon (literally in a month). However, in severe cases, some complications may occur:
- Incurable damage to the area of the inflamed facial nerve;
- Improper growth of nerve fibers, leading to involuntary mobility of some muscles, while a person controls others. For example, when you try to smile, the patient involuntarily closes his eyes;
- Loss of vision (partial or complete) associated with the fact that a person cannot lower his eyelids, resulting in excessive dry eyes.
Disease detection
Inflammation of the facial nerve is determined by a routine medical examination by a doctor. If in doubt about the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe an additional study.
How to treat facial inflammation
Drug treatment must be picked up by the attending physician. Most often, corticosteroids (to relieve inflammation) and antiviral drugs are prescribed for treatment. Physiotherapeutic treatment is also used - this is a special massage and exercises for the facial muscles.
All methods of treatment should be strictly aimed at restoring the nerve fibers affected by the inflammatory process, preventing muscle atrophy, and resuming the conduction of muscles not affected by the disease. After a week, thermal procedures (paraffin applications) can be used to restore. Acupuncture and ultrasound are recommended. If recovery is slow, medications that help improve metabolism, vitamins (especially group B) are prescribed to activate it.
In 75% of cases, a full recovery occurs. It is believed that if the treatment of neuritis does not improve within three months, then the chance of full recovery will be significantly reduced.