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) nerves are the cranial nerves that have been affected by the viral infection. Damage to the facial (VII) nerve caused by conditions such as viral infections like shingles or bacterial infections like Lyme disease causes Bell's palsy (paralysis of the facial muscles), loss of taste, decreased salivation, and loss of ability to close the eyes, even while sleeping. Trauma, tumors, and stroke can all cause nerve damage.