Question
Recently, I’ve been feeling discomfort with my face being deformed. Hello, what should I pay attention to when it comes to facial paralysis diagnostic and classification?
Answer
Facial paralysis mainly occurs in two forms: peripheral facial paralysis and central facial paralysis. 1. Central facial paralysis occurs when the brainstem (including the cerebral cortex, cerebral-brainstem fibers, internal capsule, pons, etc.) is damaged, leading to paralysis of the lower face muscles on the opposite side of the lesion. This can be observed from top to bottom, with a shallow nasolabial fold, drooping of the mouth corners when smiling (or the mouth tilts towards the healthy side of the lesion), inability to whistle or blow bubbles. It is commonly seen in conditions such as cerebrovascular diseases, brain tumors, and encephalitis.