What Is Facial Neuropathy?

The facial nerve is the seventh pair of brain nerves. It consists of sensory, motor, and parasympathetic nerve fibers, which manage the taste of the tongue, facial expression muscle movement, and dominate the secretion of the sublingual, submandibular, and lacrimal glands.

Facial nerve

The facial nerve is the seventh pair of brain nerves. By feeling, movement and vice

The facial nerve is the seventh pair of brain nerves. By feeling, movement and vice

Facial nerve palsy is divided into central type and peripheral type.

Central facial nerve

It is caused when the tissues on the nucleus (including the cortex, cortical brainstem fibers, inner capsule, pontine, etc.) are damaged, and the muscles on the contralateral face of the lesion appear to be paralyzed. From the top to the bottom, the nasolabial sulcus becomes shallow, and the mouth angle droops when the teeth are exposed (or the corner of the mouth is skewed to the lesion side, that is, the side of the paralyzed facial muscle). Whistles and drums cannot be blown. More common in cerebrovascular disease, brain tumors and encephalitis.

Peripheral facial nerve

It is caused by the facial nucleus or facial nerve damage, and all facial muscles on the same side of the lesion appear paralyzed. From top to bottom, it can not be frowned, frowning, eyes closed, corneal reflex disappeared, nasolabial sulcus becomes shallow, can not show teeth, bulging gills. Whistling, drooping of the corner of the mouth (or the corner of the mouth is skewed to the opposite side of the lesion, that is, the side of the paralyzed facial muscle). It is more common in peripheral facial paralysis caused by cold, ear or meningeal infection, and neurofibromas. In addition, there may be 2/3 taste disorders before the tongue.