Bell Palsy and Herpes Simplex Virus
Authors: Spotswood L. Spruance
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1994)

Editorials15 June 1994Bell Palsy and Herpes Simplex VirusSpotswood L. Spruance, MDSpotswood L. Spruance, MDUniversity of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-120-12-199406150-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Various recognized disorders can affect the function of the facial nerve, including temporal bone fractures, acoustic neuroma, otitis media, herpes zoster oticus (the Ramsay Hunt syndrome) and the Guillain-Barre syndrome. However, the most common presentation of facial paralysis is “idiopathic” or Bell palsy, which occurs in 50% to 70% of cases and is diagnosed by the exclusion of known conditions [1, 2]. Bell palsy is widely distributed by age and occurs equally among men and women. There are no seasonal trends, and most cases develop randomly, with little evidence of epidemic clustering by time or location [1, 3]. The right ...References1. Adour KK, Byl FM, Hilsinger RL Jr, Kahn ZM, Sheldon MI. The true nature of Bell's Palsy: analysis of 1000 consecutive patients. Laryngoscope. 1978; 88:787-801. Google Scholar2. May M. The Facial Nerve. New York: Thieme Inc.; 1986:1-819. Google Scholar3. Kaplan JE, Greenspan JR, Bomgaars M, Wiebenga N, Bart RD Jr, Robbins K, et al. Simultaneous outbreaks of Guillain-Barre syndrome and Bell's palsy in Hawaii in 1981. JAMA. 1983; 250:2635-40. Google Scholar4. Adour KK. Bell's palsy: a complete expression of acute benign cranial polyneuritis. Prim Care. 1975; 2:717-33. Google Scholar5. Schwaber MK, Larson TC 3d, Zealear DL, Creasy J. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in Bell's palsy. Laryngoscope. 1990; 100:1264-9. Google Scholar6. Austin JR, Peskind SP, Austin SG, Rice DH. 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Spruance, MDAffiliations: University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132.Corresponding Author: Spotswood Spruance, MD, Health Sciences AIDS Center, University of Utah School of Medicine, Room 4B322, 50 North Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byiBlink: A Wearable Device Facilitating Facial Paralysis Patients to BlinkiBlinkValacyclovir and Prednisolone Treatment for Bell's PalsyDiagnosis of herpes simplex virus infections of the CNSEfficacy of Early Treatment of Bell's Palsy With Oral Acyclovir and PrednisoloneDifferences in Laboratory Findings for Cerebrospinal Fluid Specimens Obtained from Patients with Meningitis or Encephalitis Due to Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Documented by Detection of HSV DNABell’s palsy and herpes zoster oticusINFECTIONS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEMA case of facial diplegia associated with herpes simplex reactivationReactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1 in patients with Bell's palsy 15 June 1994Volume 120, Issue 12Page: 1045-1046KeywordsCellsFacial nerveGuillain-Barre syndromeHerpes simplexLesionsNervesParalysisTasteTongueVaricella zoster virus ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 June 1994 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1994 by American College of Physicians. 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