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Name 5 muscles which are affected and list its actions.
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Occipitofrontalis- Draws scalp anteriorly, raises eyebrows, and wrinkles skin of forehead horizontally as in look of surprise.
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Orbicularis oculi - Closes eyes
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Orbicularis oris - Closes and protrudes lips, as in kissing; compresses lips against teeth; and shapes lips during speech.
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Buccinator - Presses cheeks against teeth and lips, as in whistling, blowing, and sucking; draws corner of mouth laterally; and assists in mastication (chewing) by keeping food between the teeth (and not between teeth and cheeks).
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Platysma - Draws outer part of lower lip inferiorly and posteriorly as in pouting; depresses mandible.
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Describe the mechanism of his muscle weakness.
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The patient has unilateral facial paralysis due to the damaged facial (VII) nerve. This nerve controls the skeletal muscle’s contraction, secretion of tear and salivary gland, and sensory impulses of the taste buds. It could be caused by an ear infection, ear surgery that damaged facial nerve, or viral infection. Based on the picture, the patient could be suffering from a severe case of Bell’s Palsy.
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What other symptoms could the patient exhibit as a result of facial muscle weakness?
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According to Tortora and Derrickson (2017), patients suffering from Bell’s Palsy cannot do the following: wrinkle their forehead, close their eyes, or contract their lips. Difficulty in swallowing and drooling may also occur.
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Reference
Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. (2017). Principles of anatomy & physiology. Fifteenth edition; Wiley Loose-Leaf Print Companion. Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.