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Peripheral lesions| Cranial Nerve VII - Facial Nerve | Page 10 of 28 |
Clinical Correlation - Bell's Palsy
A LMN lesion of CN VII which occurs at or beyond the stylomastoid foramen is commonly referred to as a Bell's Palsy.
Characteristic indications of a LMN lesion or Bell's Palsy include the following, on the affected side:
- Marked facial asymmetry
- Atrophy of facial muscles
- Eyebrow droop
- Smoothing out of forehead and nasolabial folds
- Drooping of the mouth corner
- Uncontrolled tearing
- Loss of efferent limb of conjunctival reflex (cannot close eye)
- Lips cannot be held tightly together or pursed
- Diificulty keeping food in mouth while chewing on the affected side
