ACTIVITY 4

FABABIER, Kynier R. - Activity 4

FABABIER, Kynier R. - Activity 4

by Kynier Fababier -
Number of replies: 0

 

This is patient AM, a 28-year-old male who came in the ER because of drooping of his left face. He said he woke up and he could not move his left face.

He has no other muscle weakness. He is conscious and coherent although he had a little difficulty speaking because the left side of his lips drooped. He had normal blood pressure and he had no other comorbidities. He was diagnosed to have Bell’s palsy. Name 5 muscles which are affected and list its actions. Describe the mechanism of his muscle weakness. What other symptoms could the patient exhibit as a result of facial muscle weakness?

Muscles affected: 

Muscles Affected

Actions

Frontalis

Draws the scalp anteriorly; raises eyebrows; wrinkles the skin of the forehead horizontally

Orbicularis oculi

Closes the eyelids

Orbicularis oris

Closes and protrudes the lips; compresses lips against teeth; shapes lips during speech

Buccinator

Presses the cheeks against the teeth and lips; laterally draws the corners of the mouth; helps in mastication

Platysma

Draws the outer part of lower lip inferiorly and posteriorly; depresses the mandible

 

Mechanism of his muscle weakness:

The patient’s muscle weakness is attributed to Bell’s palsy. It is a unilateral paralysis of the muscles we use in facial expression. It resulted in them having a hard time speaking and moving the left side of his face. They may also be unable to wrinkle their forehead, pucker their lips, close their eye on the left side, or pucker their lips. It may be due to a damage or disease on the facial nerve (VII) and caused by ear infection of herpes simplex virus. Usually, they may recover within a few weeks/months.

 

Other Symptoms:

Aside from drooping of one side of the face and difficulty speaking, other symptoms of Bell’s palsy may include:

  • Drooling

  • Pain located behind the ear on the affected side of the face, or around the jaw

  • Heightened sensitivity to noise on the affected side

  • Loss of ability to taste

  • Headaches

  • Substantial change in the production of tear/saliva production