Question

Can post-stroke syndrome from facial paralysis cause tongue numbness?

Answer

Post-stroke syndrome from facial paralysis can indeed lead to a recurrence of tongue numbness, but this numbness is typically due to a sensory impairment of the taste caused by damage to the facial nerve, rather than actual numbness of the tongue. Part of the facial nerve controls the taste sensation in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, so some patients with facial paralysis may experience a recurrence of taste impairment, leading to a sensation of not being able to taste. In this case, the numbness is actually a sensory impairment and not true tongue numbness. Therefore, when similar symptoms recur, it is important to differentiate between tongue numbness and taste impairment. If it is a taste impairment, it is related to the facial paralysis; if it is actual tongue numbness without pain, it may not be related to the facial paralysis.