Bell's Palsy
Definition
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institute of Health (NIH), defines Bell's palsy as "a form of facial paralysis resulting from damage to the seventh (facial) cranial nerve." This condition is considered to be normally a transient phenomenon and not permanently disabling. It is named for Sir Charles Bell, a Scottish surgeon who, over two hundred years ago, did much of the earliest research regarding the anatomy and pathology of the cranial nerves.
Description
There are 12 sets of bilateral cranial nerves originating in the posterior portion of the brain stem, called the pons. These nerves control various functions in the upper portion of the body, especially within the face and head. The seventh cranial nerve enters the...
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