Peripheral facial nerve palsy refers to facial nerve damage from various medical conditions such as infection, trauma, malignancy, autoimmune conditions, and pregnancy. The most common disease causing peripheral facial nerve palsy is idiopathic facial paralysis, also known as Bell’s palsy.1 Reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1 is known to be the most common cause of idiopathic Bell’s palsy, however in most cases aetiologies are not revealed.2 Bell’s palsy can be classified into acute, subacute, and chronic. Most commonly, the condition is unilateral; however, patients with bilateral facial palsy are also known.3
There is a broad spectrum of disorders associated with facial nerve paralysis that can be generally attributed to the three main pathological mechanisms: the denervated ipsilateral nerve, synkinesis of a nerve with paresis or partial recovery from complete facial…
