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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Drugs like Valtrex (valacyclovir). Shingles can also be prevented with a two-dose vaccine called Shingrix. Bell's Palsy Bell’s palsy is an often distressing condition that causes the sudden weakness or paralysis of facial muscles. In addition to one-sided facial drooping, a person may experience uncontrollable tearing, drooling, and one-sided facial numbness. The cause of Bell's palsy is unknown but is thought to be the result of the reactivation of herpes simplex virus or varicella virus (albeit without the appearance of a skin rash). The symptoms usually start to improve after a couple of weeks and will resolve within six months. There is no specific treatment for Bell's palsy, but corticosteroid drugs like prednisone or antiviral drugs like Zovirax (acyclovir) are often used. Infections Many different bacterial or viral infections can cause facial numbness either by affecting the facial nerve or the brainstem from where the nerve originates. The loss of facial sensation may be due to inflammation that compresses (pinches) the nerve somewhere along the nerve route. Depending on the cause, the loss of sensation may be limited to one side of the face or only involve a small portion of the face. With systemic (whole-body) infections, the numbness may affect both sides of the face or the face as a whole. Infections that can potentially cause facial numbness include: COVID-19Dental infectionsHerpesHIVLyme diseaseMeningitisMeasles MumpsMononucleosisTuberculosis The treatment of infections can vary, but bacterial infections like tuberculosis generally respond well to antibiotics, while viral infections like herpes or HIV are commonly treated with antiviral drugs. Some viral infections resolve on their own without treatment. Tumors A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells that consolidates into a mass. It is an uncommon cause of facial numbness but one that can cause persistent or worsening symptoms. The tumor may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) and affect either the facial nerve or brainstem. One of the more common benign causes is a facial nerve neuroma. These tumors often develop after facial surgery a traumatic injury to the face. In many people, a neuroma can cause intense pain, but, in others, it may only
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