In Bell’s palsy, the cranial nerve VII (facial nerve) experiences a viral infection which causes it to be inflamed. The facial nerve’s function is to provide control to the muscles on one side of the face. Damage to the nerve causes the symptoms of paralysis.
Other symptoms of patients suffering from Bell’s Palsy include the following:
- Headache
- loss of taste
- Jaw pain
- Pain on the ear of the affected side