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What Causes One Sided Facial Paralysis During Pregnancy?
Question: My wife pregnant , half of her face stop reacting , Dr. Said that infection in the 7th nerve. What the reason of this case ? Is she will back as before ? Please advise me if I can do anything ?
Brief Answer:
Bells palsy, due to stress and existing virus
Detailed Answer:
Hello, Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. What your wife is suffering from is called "Bells Palsy" it is a temprorary infection of the 'Facial nerve' also called the 7th Cranial nerve.
Now, you must understand, this infection came into her body many many years ago. I am sure she had chicken pox as a child. When that virus infected her that time, her immune system beat back the virus. But it has the ability to 'hide' from the immune system by sitting in the nerves. Now due to the stress of the pregnancy the virus has escaped from the nerve to cause a flare up.
There is nothing that is life threatening about this. She will need a short course of steroid medications and of the disease reoccurs, she may need a course of antiviral medication. But remember the disease is self limiting and there is no effect on the baby. It will be protected by the placental barrier.
I hope this helps. Feel free to follow-up on this or anything else.
Viay
Bells palsy, due to stress and existing virus
Detailed Answer:
Hello, Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. What your wife is suffering from is called "Bells Palsy" it is a temprorary infection of the 'Facial nerve' also called the 7th Cranial nerve.
Now, you must understand, this infection came into her body many many years ago. I am sure she had chicken pox as a child. When that virus infected her that time, her immune system beat back the virus. But it has the ability to 'hide' from the immune system by sitting in the nerves. Now due to the stress of the pregnancy the virus has escaped from the nerve to cause a flare up.
There is nothing that is life threatening about this. She will need a short course of steroid medications and of the disease reoccurs, she may need a course of antiviral medication. But remember the disease is self limiting and there is no effect on the baby. It will be protected by the placental barrier.
I hope this helps. Feel free to follow-up on this or anything else.
Viay
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Doctor,
Thanks a lot for your reply please help me to understand the following :
- My wife's left eye start tremoring on last Tuesday
- On Friday noon time, All reactions on her face left side have stopped
- On Saturday night after consulting doctors she start a short course of Prednisolone ( 10 mg )
- Sunday ( 10 mg / 3 times per day ) = 30 mg/day
- Monday and Tuesday ( 10 mg / 2 times per day ) = 20 mg/day
- Week after ( 5 mg / 2 times per day ) = 10 mg/day
In addition physical therapy by electrical pulses.
1. Is this course on right time which I read that after 72 hours will not be not useful ?
2. Is this course a possible risk to my baby ( Pregnancy on the week 17th ) ?
3. Is my wife will cure and back as before ? If yes how much time she need to be good in average?
Thanks a lot for your reply please help me to understand the following :
- My wife's left eye start tremoring on last Tuesday
- On Friday noon time, All reactions on her face left side have stopped
- On Saturday night after consulting doctors she start a short course of Prednisolone ( 10 mg )
- Sunday ( 10 mg / 3 times per day ) = 30 mg/day
- Monday and Tuesday ( 10 mg / 2 times per day ) = 20 mg/day
- Week after ( 5 mg / 2 times per day ) = 10 mg/day
In addition physical therapy by electrical pulses.
1. Is this course on right time which I read that after 72 hours will not be not useful ?
2. Is this course a possible risk to my baby ( Pregnancy on the week 17th ) ?
3. Is my wife will cure and back as before ? If yes how much time she need to be good in average?
Brief Answer:
The disease is self limiting, will pass
Detailed Answer:
Hi, I can only imagine her fear and yours at this sensitive time. Do not worry, she will be fine and so will the baby. Prednisone is the steroid of choice in such cases, it will decrease the swelling in the nerve and set her right. In the mean time the pulse therapy will prevent the nerve from degenerating.
Overall the statistics are like this: Out of over 1000 patients followed in a study done in '82. 85 percent showed signs of recovery within three weeks, 71 percent had complete recovery, 13 percent had slight sequelae, and 16 percent had residual weakness, synkinesis and/or contracture. Patients with incomplete lesions had a 94 percent rate of return to normal function, while only 60 percent of those with clinically complete lesions returned to normal function.
Again, the baby will be fine with a short course of steroids, don't trouble yourself there. I hope this information helps, take care.
Vinay
The disease is self limiting, will pass
Detailed Answer:
Hi, I can only imagine her fear and yours at this sensitive time. Do not worry, she will be fine and so will the baby. Prednisone is the steroid of choice in such cases, it will decrease the swelling in the nerve and set her right. In the mean time the pulse therapy will prevent the nerve from degenerating.
Overall the statistics are like this: Out of over 1000 patients followed in a study done in '82. 85 percent showed signs of recovery within three weeks, 71 percent had complete recovery, 13 percent had slight sequelae, and 16 percent had residual weakness, synkinesis and/or contracture. Patients with incomplete lesions had a 94 percent rate of return to normal function, while only 60 percent of those with clinically complete lesions returned to normal function.
Again, the baby will be fine with a short course of steroids, don't trouble yourself there. I hope this information helps, take care.
Vinay
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Dear Doctor, Thanks a lot for your time and answers
My wife age is 22 years only.
Kindly note that she is showing the case only when talking or smiling for her mouth while it's always clear for her eye and all of this in one side of the face.
After one week now, no progress.
please answer me directly about her chance to return to normal function.
My wife age is 22 years only.
Kindly note that she is showing the case only when talking or smiling for her mouth while it's always clear for her eye and all of this in one side of the face.
After one week now, no progress.
please answer me directly about her chance to return to normal function.
Brief Answer:
Partial Paralysis has best results. >90%
Detailed Answer:
Hi, The fact that the problem is only noticeable when she smiles, that is a very good thing. The chances recovery are above 90%
It takes around 3 weeks for these things to BEGIN to resolve, so lets not worry her too much until then.
Vinay
Partial Paralysis has best results. >90%
Detailed Answer:
Hi, The fact that the problem is only noticeable when she smiles, that is a very good thing. The chances recovery are above 90%
It takes around 3 weeks for these things to BEGIN to resolve, so lets not worry her too much until then.
Vinay
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Doctor, Thanks a lot for your reply
It is my last question, I noticed that eye start give signs of recovery but mouth not !
is this normal ? Actually trying to defeat my worry but she is only in 22 and pregnant .
Best Regards
It is my last question, I noticed that eye start give signs of recovery but mouth not !
is this normal ? Actually trying to defeat my worry but she is only in 22 and pregnant .
Best Regards
Brief Answer:
Very normal!
Detailed Answer:
I don't want to go into the details.. But the facial nerve has a special architecture where the top fibers are at the side of the canal and the bottom fibers (supplying the mouth ) on the outermost. You should start seeing some recovery there shortly. I understand your worry and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Please come back whenever you need more information. I will be happy to help.
Vin
Very normal!
Detailed Answer:
I don't want to go into the details.. But the facial nerve has a special architecture where the top fibers are at the side of the canal and the bottom fibers (supplying the mouth ) on the outermost. You should start seeing some recovery there shortly. I understand your worry and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Please come back whenever you need more information. I will be happy to help.
Vin
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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