Thursday, February 28, 2008

Eyelid Surgery And Bell’s Palsy:

About 40,000 Americans are known to develop a condition known as Bell’s palsy each year. The age group susceptible to this condition could be in the range of 15-60. Among those affected, some are known to heal completely within weeks, while some are known to experience a recurrence of the condition. Few are affected enough to retain the symptoms of Bell’s palsy for life.

The main cause for Bell’s palsy is damage or trauma to one of the two facial nerves, resulting in it being one of the most common causes of facial paralysis. Rare cases display both sides of the face being afflicted with this condition.

Treatment for Bell’s palsy is still being researched and the course of treatment is as yet not fixed. Doctors prescribe medications to provide relief from inflammation and swelling and combat viral infections. Beyond this, plastic surgery can be suggested to relieve pressure on the affected facial nerve.

Bell’s palsy is known to cause dry eyes, difficulty in closing, decreased blink rate and even corneal ulcers. Plastic surgeons can perform an eyelid surgery combined with a brow lift to relieve nerve pressure in the muscles in the eyelid and forehead area.

Plastic surgery is treated as a last resort by medical specialists though as performing procedures like eyelid surgery or face surgery on a person affected by Bell’s palsy is risky and the exact method is yet a controversy.

If you would like to know more about the plastic surgery options you or a family member may have, you can contact the Plastic Surgery Institute of California.

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