Question

The patient describes her mother experiencing left facial spasm, dizziness, headache, and poor mental health. What could be the cause?

Answer

The patient’s condition may be due to facial neuralgia or facial neural paralysis, possibly related to viral infection or catching a cold. Typically, the onset is acute, with facial paralysis reaching its peak within a few hours to several days. Some patients may have a persistent pain on the side of the ear behind the affected area and tenderness over the mastoid process 1-2 days before the paralysis. Treatment principles include improving regional blood circulation, reducing facial nerve edema, alleviating nerve compression, and promoting recovery of nerve function. Acute-phase treatment requires antiviral therapy, nutritional nerve treatment, hormone administration, and supportive symptomatic treatment. Complementary therapies such as acupuncture can also be considered.