Bell's Palsy | Diagnosis & Treatment

Your healthcare provider can diagnose Bell’s palsy based on your symptoms. They’ll ask about when your symptoms started and if they’ve changed. They’ll also do a physical exam and ask you to try to move your facial muscles in certain ways. The key physical exam finding of Bell’s palsy is partial or complete weakness of your forehead.

Other conditions, including stroke, sarcoidosis, Lyme disease, middle ear bacterial infections, multiple sclerosis and tumors near your facial nerve can sometimes cause facial paralysis that’s similar to Bell’s palsy. Your provider can usually accurately diagnose Bell’s palsy based on your history of symptoms and examination alone. But they may sometimes suggest that you have one or more of these tests:

Blood tests to check for conditions like Lyme disease or sarcoidosis.
Electromyography (EMG) to measure nerve activity and damage. This test may help your provider predict how quickly you’ll recover.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans to rule out stroke, tumor, multiple sclerosis or other causes of nerve damage.
Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to check for meningitis, Lyme disease or sarcoidosis.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

Living with atrial fibrillation?

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