Your patient recently had a viral infection and now she cannot move the muscles on the right side of her face. In addition, she is experiencing a loss of taste and dry mouth and she cannot close her right eye. Which cranial nerves have been affected by the viral infection?
- The Facial (VII) nerve is among the cranial nerves damaged by the viral infection; the patient's loss of taste, dry mouth, and trouble closing her right eye indicate a clinical relationship. Face paralysis, often known as Bell's palsy, is a unilateral paralysis of the facial expressive muscles. The facial (VII) nerve has been compromised or is afflicted. Possible causes include facial nerve inflammation caused by an ear infection, facial nerve injury caused by ear surgery, and herpes simplex virus infection. In extreme situations, the paralysis causes the entire side of the face to droop. On the affected side, the individual cannot furrow the forehead, close the eye, or pucker the lips. There is also drooling and difficulties swallowing.
References
Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. (2017). Principles of anatomy & physiology. Fifteenth edition; Wiley Loose-Leaf Print Companion. Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.