Overcoming Bell's Palsy Via Combination Therapy- A Case Report

Bell palsy is the most common paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve, with an onset that istypically rapid and hemifacial. The condition affects 15 to 40 of every 100,000 people annually and recurs in approximately 10% of cases. In addition to unilateral facial paralysis, Bell palsy often also involves a prodrome of otalgia, and many patients additionally report ipsilateral xerophthalmia, epiphora, hyperacusis, nasal obstruction, and dysgeusia. This is a case report of 70 years old male showing symptoms of Bell’s Palsy that is diagnosed to be secondary to Herpes Zoster Infection. The patient was prescribed with combination of antiviral and corticosteroid medication for relief of symptoms and cause. The literature shows that the outcome of patients treated with corticosteroid plus acyclovir was superior to the outcome of those treated with prednisone plus placebo and thus this combination therapy was taken into consideration.