The facial nerve innervates the muscles of the face which we use to control movement of our forehead, eyes, mouth, and neck. There is a facial nerve on each side of the face to control the associated facial muscles of expression.
Understanding Facial Nerve Damage
The facial nerve plays a crucial role in controlling the muscles responsible for facial movement, including the forehead, eyes, mouth, and neck. With a facial nerve on each side of the face, any damage to this nerve can impair or completely disrupt muscle function, leading to symptoms such as weakness, numbness, twitching, or loss of facial expressions. Causes of facial nerve damage range from infections like Bell’s Palsy and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome to trauma, tumors, stroke, and metabolic conditions. At our practice, we take a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating facial nerve damage, offering solutions tailored to the cause, severity, and timing of the injury.
Symptoms
When damage to the facial nerve occurs, control of the associated facial muscles is impaired or lost completely. Depending on the area of the damage, its effect will vary. Common symptoms of facial nerve damage are:
- Weakness of facial muscles
- Numbness
- Twitching
- Inability to show expression (smile, frown)
- Dryness or excessive tearing of the eye or drooling of the mouth
Facial Nerve Damage Treatment
Treatment for facial nerve damage will vary according to the cause and timing of the damage. For acute Bell’s palsy occurring within 2 weeks, treatment with steroid medications is highly recommended, such as prednisone. Additionally, antiviral medication, such as valacyclovir is given to enhance recovery. Surgical treatment may involve facial nerve decompression. A comprehensive approach is necessary to balance the face.
Depending on the site, extent and timing of the injury, a nerve graft may be used to ‘plug into’ a branch of the normal facial nerve or neighboring nerve and ‘borrow’ electrical input. If there is no viable muscle on the affected side, we may transfer muscle from another part of the body to provide movement to the face. A muscle commonly used is the gracilis muscle from the leg. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment for you or a family member with one of our specialists.
Causes
Causes of facial nerve damage are varied and can be the result of any of the following:
- Infection – Bell’s palsy, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, Lyme disease
- Trauma – facial injury, skull base fracture, birth trauma
- Bell’s palsy –This is the most common cause of facial paralysis, accounting for about 70% of all cases.
- Tumors
- Stroke
- Autoimmune
- Metabolic – diabetes (high blood sugar), hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Pregnancy
Schedule your consultation
New York Facial Paralysis, located in Midtown East, Manhattan, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of facial nerve damage. Led by Dr. Teresa O, a board-certified expert in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, our clinic offers advanced, personalized care to restore facial function and symmetry. Whether you are experiencing muscle weakness, loss of expression, or related concerns, Dr. O and her team provide tailored solutions to improve both appearance and quality of life. Schedule a consultation today to discover how our expertise can help you regain balance, movement, and confidence.
