Inquiry
Patient Inquiry: Sudden onset of facial palsy, one side of the face numbness, crooked mouth corner, and drooling, inquiring about the cause and treatment medication.
Answer
There is no specific effective treatment for facial palsy at present. Continuous use of corticosteroid hormones, such as prednisone, within two days of symptom onset may be effective. However, whether this treatment can indeed alleviate symptoms and promote recovery is still uncertain. If the eyelids cannot close, eye ointment or eye masks should be used regularly, and the paralyzed facial muscles should be massaged to assist in recovery. For patients with facial palsy that lasts for 6 to 12 months or longer, considering surgical transplantation of a healthy nerve (usually the hypoglossal nerve) into the paralyzed facial muscles may be an option. The causes of facial palsy are numerous, including infectious lesions, otogenic diseases, tumors, trauma, poisoning, metabolic disorders, vascular dysfunction, and congenital hypoplasia of the facial nerve nucleus.