Bell's palsy is a condition that causes one side of a person's face to become partially or completely paralyzed. Damage that occurs to the facial nerve, which is responsible for carrying signals to and from the face to the brain, leads to the facial paralysis. The condition may be caused by a virus that leads to swelling in the facial nerve, which can prevent the nerve from working properly. Although the condition usually disappears in a month's time, MayoClinic.com reports that in some instances certain complications can occur.
Permanent Damage to the Facial Nerve
In some instances, the damage to the facial nerve may be severe, as described by MayoClinic.com. Even after one month of treatment, the sensation and control of the facial nerve may not return. This usually means that the nerve has suffered irreversible damage and the individual may never be able to get back the movement of the side of the face with Bell's palsy.
Misdirected Regrowth of Nerve Fibers
MayoClinic.com states that the damaged nerve fibers may regrow in the wrong direction after Bell's palsy. This means that when an individual tries to move one muscle, it may lead to an involuntary contraction in a nearby muscle, known as synkinesis. As MayoClinic.com explains, when an individual smiles, the eye on the affected side may close, and the individual has no control over this contraction of the eye muscle.
Blindness
Blindness is another complication that may arise due to Bell's palsy, reports MayoClinic.com. In some cases, even after the condition has been cured, there may be permanent damage to the cornea---the clear protective covering of the eye---that has been affected. Since the individual with Bell's palsy is not able to close the affected eye, it becomes excessively dry, which could cause the cornea to become scratched. Partial or complete blindness may result from a scratched cornea, according to MayoClinic.com.
