Bell's Palsy

Dad woke up yesterday saying his face felt numb and he had difficulty opening his eyes. He found it difficult to swallow too. We were all afraid that it could be a second stroke. It's almost 5 years now since his last stroke.

He went to TTSH, needed a brain scan and was warded.

The brain scan results came out today and praise the Lord! It's not a stroke but a viral infection called Bell's Palsy which is a form of facial paralysis resulting from damage to the facial nerves.There is no cure or treatment for Bell's Palsy. So he's only given some medicine to fight viral infection and inflammation. Thus, he's discharged today and is home. 

The prognosis is generally very good. The extent of the nerve damage determines the extent of recovery. Most individuals get better within 2 weeks after the initial onset of the symptoms and recover completely within 3 to 6 months.