Facial Palsy & Bell’s Palsy Glossary
Short, clear explanations of the terms you’ll hear from your doctor or read during your facial palsy recovery.
- Facial nerve (cranial nerve VII)
The seventh cranial nerve, which moves the muscles of facial expression and helps with taste from the front of the tongue, tears and saliva. It runs through a narrow bony canal behind the ear.
Read more- Bell’s palsy
Sudden weakness or paralysis of one side of the face with no other identifiable cause, most likely due to facial nerve inflammation. It is the most common type of facial palsy, and most people recover.
Read more- Facial palsy
A general term for weakness or loss of movement of the facial muscles due to facial nerve damage, whether from Bell’s palsy or another cause.
Read more- Idiopathic
A medical term for a condition with no identifiable direct cause after examination. Bell’s palsy is also called idiopathic facial palsy.
- Synkinesis
Involuntary movements that happen alongside an intended one — such as the eye closing when you smile — caused by irregular nerve regrowth during recovery.
Read more- Ramsay Hunt syndrome
Facial palsy with a painful rash in the ear or mouth, caused by reactivation of the chickenpox (varicella-zoster) virus in the facial nerve. It needs prompt treatment.
Read more- House–Brackmann scale
A 6-grade scale of facial nerve function, from grade I (normal) to grade VI (total paralysis).
Read more- Sunnybrook scale
A detailed 0–100 scale that scores resting symmetry, voluntary movement and synkinesis, used to track recovery.
Read more- Corticosteroids
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisolone that reduce nerve swelling — the best-supported treatment for Bell’s palsy when started within 72 hours.
Read more- Antivirals
Medicines such as aciclovir. Not effective alone for Bell’s palsy, they may be added to steroids in severe cases and are essential in Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Read more- Lagophthalmos
Inability to close the eye fully, which exposes the cornea to drying and injury and calls for artificial tears, ointment and night-time eye closure.
Read more- Hyperacusis
Discomfort with loud sounds caused by weakness of a tiny middle-ear muscle supplied by the facial nerve.
Read more- ENoG / EMG
Electrical tests of nerve and muscle response, ordered in selected cases such as complete palsy to estimate recovery prospects.
Read more- Neuromuscular retraining
A rehabilitation approach using precise, symmetrical movements with feedback (mirror or camera) to retrain the brain’s control of the facial muscles.
Read more- Biofeedback
Instant information on whether a movement is correct during exercise — via a mirror, devices or AI camera analysis — to help correct movement.
Read more- F.A.S.T.
A quick way to spot a stroke: Face, Arms, Speech, Time. Facial weakness with arm weakness or speech problems means calling emergency services.
Read more
Content on this website is for health education only and does not replace medical advice. If you notice sudden facial weakness, seek medical care immediately.