What does facial paralysis mean?

Facial paralysis, also known as facial nerve palsy, usually refers to paralysis of the facial muscles due to damage to the facial nerve. Facial nerve palsy is a kind of nerve defect that causes facial muscle paralysis due to facial nerve damage, and it is more common in clinical practice. Facial nerve palsy can be categorized into peripheral facial nerve palsy and central facial nerve palsy according to the location of facial nerve damage. Peripheral facial nerve palsy is usually triggered by auricular diseases, infectious lesions, etc., while central facial nerve palsy is mainly caused by intracranial tumors, cerebrovascular disease, trauma, etc.. Patients with facial paralysis usually show symptoms such as loss of forehead lines, inability to lift the forehead and furrow the eyebrows, inability to close the eyelids or incomplete closure, and white sclera showing when the eyeballs are turned upward when the eyes are closed. Due to the paralysis of the orbicularis oculi muscle, the lower eyelid is turned out, and the tears do not flow easily into the nasolacrimal duct and leak out of the eye. The paralysis of the lower facial muscles is manifested as shallow nasolabial folds on the sick side, drooping of the corners of the mouth, the mouth being led to the opposite side of the lesion, inability to pucker and whistle, and leakage of air from the corners of the sick side of the mouth when puffing out the cheeks. Due to the paralysis of the buccal muscles, it is easy to bite the buccal mucosa when chewing, and food is often retained between the teeth and cheeks. When facial nerve paralysis occurs, it is recommended to go to the hospital in time, to clarify the cause of facial nerve paralysis, and then take targeted treatment to promote the edema and local inflammation to subside, in order to facilitate the early recovery of facial nerve function.