Bell’s Palsy is a condition where the facial nerve (7th cranial nerve) is injured or traumatized in some way, and this causes facial paralysis on one side. The affected side is generally completely paralyzed, and sometimes excessive drooling, tearing of the eye on the effected side, and twitching occur with the weakness or paralysis. The treatment is generally an anti-viral along with a steroid, and prognosis for most people with Bell’s is very good. Prognosis is especially good for those people who get it at a younger age- I was not yet 30 when hit with it, and so prognosis for me was very good.
What many websites don’t tell you, is that often with this illness, debilitating headaches (similar to “cluster” headaches) can occur, sensitivity to light and sound, and “virus” type symptoms, such as fever and chills. Many doctors believe that this illness is related to the herpes simplex “cold sore” virus, and some of the symptoms that I experienced during my encounter with the illness make me think those doctors are right. I had cluster headaches prior to and during my actual paralysis. I could not bend forward without horrible pain behind the paralyzed eye. I experienced fever, nausea, vomiting, and the worst headache pain I have ever felt until finally the paralysis happened–and even then, the headache pain would recur, it just wasn’t as bad.
The paralysis is sudden and terrifying. I thought, because of the headaches, that I had had a stroke. My husband rushed me to the hospital, where after the quickest intake I’d ever had, I found myself in a room with a brilliant doctor asking me questions and then having me stand up. The headaches made me dizzy, so she, at first, thought I might’ve had a stroke, too–but quickly we were both disabused of that notion, as my reflexes proved normal. She told me about Bell’s Palsy, which I’d never heard of, and prescribed medication for me. The herpes anti-viral medication and an extra-powerful z-pac antibiotic in case the “virus” type symptoms were caused by something else. I began taking the medications instantly, and within 2 weeks the paralysis was gone, and I was feeling better…
…but nothing will ever erase those moments of waking up and realizing that my eye would not open, and that I could not control half of my face. It was awful, and I will never, ever understand people who want to deaden their expressions. My expression is so very important to me, particularly after this experience. I love being able to move my face, and each and every wrinkle is important to me, too.
In my opinion, if you want Botox, you can have it- but I’ll take my wrinkles. I earned every one of ’em.
