Bell's Palsy

[Pondfisher]

So had a strange thing happen to me this morning. Woke up and went to brush my teeth. Took some water into my mouth to rinse and damn if could not spit..the water just sort of fell out of my mouth.

One visit to the local Urgent Care and Emergency room later and I find that I have something called Bell's Palsy. It is caused by a viral infection that inflames a specific nerve that controls facial muscles.

The right side of my face is numb and I am unable to blink my right eye. Fun stuff!!

I do feel lucky that I did not have a stroke but not the best start to my Sunday!

Anyone have any experience with this ailment?

Gotta get an eyepatch so I got the whole pirate look down pat!

Beard? Check! Eyepatch? Check! Knowing half smirk? Check!

 

[ashdigger]

A really good friend of mine developed Bell’s, it affected the left side of his face.

After multiple attempts with numerous doctors to remedy it and after a year of having it he told me he was thinking of having plastic surgery.

I immediately knew what I had to do.

I changed his name in my phone from Bill to Zsa Zsa Gabor.

I hope you get it sorted.

 

[Casual]

We had a prime minister with Bell’s palsy, so Canadians are used to it by now. Sucks to have to live with it, I’m sure. A lot of habits will have to change.

 

[Jaylotw]

We had a prime minister with Bell’s palsy, so Canadians are used to it by now. Sucks to have to live with it, I’m sure. A lot of habits will have to change.

And your other Canadian icon, Gordon Lighfoot, had it in the 70s.

 

[crawdad]

My mother had it years ago. Eventually it went away.

 

[canucklehead]

Pro strongman Hafthor Bjornsson has Bell's palsy as well.

 

[lightxmyfire]

I had a very mild case of this in my early college years. It was a pin's and needles tingling numbness on one side of my face up to my ear. It lasted just over a year and then went away. Haven't dealt with it again since.

Hoping you have the same short term experience with it!

 

[weezell]

I pray it is short term for you. Sometimes it lasts just a short while. Such a strange condition...

 

[Zack Miller]

It usually clears in a few weeks or less. Very rarely persistent.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I had it 40 years ago. Lasted a week or two.

 

[kcghost]

It's the kind of affliction that might last two weeks or the rest of your life.

 

[Ahi Ka]

My sister in law had it for about a month a few years back. We tried to take it seriously but she couldn’t stop winking. Lucky it’s not your left side as that would make clenching a pipe difficult.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

[warren]

I had a copper buddy developed it in his late thirties. Doctors tried all the usual stuff. It was only the left side of his face. He retired and passed away with it still, thirty years later. Some are lucky and it fades away. Others put up with it the rest of their lives. I sincerely hope you have it fade in time.

 

[OzPiper]

Wishing you a speedy recovery

 

[Old School 3319]

Hope you get better soon my friend

 

[mikethompson]

Anyone have any experience with this ailment?

Yes, my father in law. Lasted a week or so for him. One side was normal, the other side of his face was like a melted candle. Very strange and unnerving. Here's to a speedy recovery!

 

[KafkaStoleMyBike]

Get well soon!

Most cases of Bell’s Palsy clear up once the localized issue affecting the facial nerve clears up (eg, infection, cyst). The facial nerve exits the skull from a tiny hole behind your ear on each side, and provides for all the muscles of movement for the face, so a relatively small issue can paralyze one entire side of your face. Sensory innervation to the face is provided by another cranial nerve coming from other spots around the skull, so loss of feeling/tingling can come and go and can be more variable.

Wishing you a quick recovery!

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Sorry to hear about your health problems and wishing you a speedy recovery?.

Wrestling commentator Jim Ross has the disease and as someone else mentioned so does World's Strongest Man and star of Game Of Thrones Hafthor Björnsson.
Doesn't seem to hold either of them back.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Back in the late 90’s I forged out a sterling silver and copper bikini that a local model was going to model for us in a promotion for a local charity. Her boyfriend called the morning that she was supposed to meet with a photographer and said that her face was paralyzed. We just thought that she got cold feet, but turned out she had bell palsy.
she is fine now, but for a beautiful young woman she had to spend a few years with a funny look on her face.

 

[Grangerous]

Hope it remedies itself rather quickly. But due to this thread... at the very first sign of Bells Palsey, I’m heading straight for a good pipe forum and postin’ like it’s 1999.