Best Facial Palsy Doctor in Hyderabad
Get relief from Facial Palsy with EarSurgeon, Dr. Shree Rao
Discover expert care for Facial Palsy at EarSurgeon with Dr. Shree Rao. As a renowned ENT specialist, Dr. Shree Rao brings her deep expertise and compassionate approach to address Facial Palsy, a condition that affects facial nerve function. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and advanced treatment options available. Regain confidence in your smile and facial expressions with Dr. Shree Rao’s specialized care. Book your consultation today and take the first step towards a brighter, more confident you.
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What is Facial Palsy?
Facial Palsy refers to facial muscle weakness caused by injury to the face nerve leading to temporary or permanent paralysis of the affected section of the face. As the facial nerve becomes non-functioning, the facial muscles do not receive the signals to function properly.
This inhibits the movement of the eye(s), mouth, and other parts of the face.
There are various degrees of facial paralysis: in some cases, only the lower half of the face is affected; in others an entire side of the face is afflicted; and at times, both sides of the face are affected.
Facial Palsy, whether temporary or permanent, is a highly unpleasant condition to have because the face and its expressions play such an important role in establishing one’s identity and character. Smiling, which is an expression of positivity, in a person suffering from facial nerve paralysis will be interpreted as a cynical look by onlookers unaware of the patient’s condition.
WHAT CAUSES FACIAL PALSY?
Although Bell’s palsy is the most well-known cause of Facial paralysis, there are many reasons for its occurrence. Treatment and prognosis vary widely depending on the underlying cause. According to Dr. Shree Rao, Ear Surgeon, one of the well-known specialists in Hyderabad for repair of facial nerve decompression, the following are some of the most common causes of Facial palsy:
- Bell’s palsy – sudden facial muscle weakness or disorder in one side of the face that can worsen in just 48 hrs., and can strike anyone at any age
- Viral infections – such as shingles that affect the facial nerve
- Cholesteatoma – an abnormal sac like growth in the ear for a prolonged period leads to facial palsy
- Tumours growing in the parotid region
- Neurological disorders – like tumours on the nerve cells or problem with the peripheral nerves
- Fractures – of skull or face
- Birth trauma – caused by forceps or birth with a face presentation
- Congenital problems – faulty facial nerve or muscle development in the womb
- Genetic problems – absent or underdeveloped cranial nerves, CHARGE syndrome
- Brain injury – leading to stroke or paralysis
MANIFESTATION OF FACIAL PALSY
Facial palsy can present in several ways
FOREHEAD:
Loss of creases inability to frown | Inability to frown
AREA AROUND THE EYES:
- Droopy brow and inability to raise it
- Inability to fully close or blink the eye
- Watery or dry eye
- Inability to squint
- Drooping of the lower eyelid, making the eye appear wide
- Painful eye with grittiness or irritation
- White area of the eye becomes sore/red
MOUTH:
- Drooping/pulling down of the corner of the mouth
- Inability to grin on the affected side
- Inability to puff out cheeks, whistle, or blow
- Changes in taste
- Tingling in the tongue
- Difficulty in eating and drinking
- Having trouble brushing teeth or spitting out
- Drooling from the corner of the mouth that is weak
- Increased or decreased salivation (dry mouth)
- Speaking difficulties due to weakness in the lips and cheeks
EAR(S):
- Agony/discomfort in or near the damaged ear
- Hearing loss
- Increased susceptibility to high-pitched noise
NOSE:
- Runny nose or stuffy nose
- Inability to widen nostrils while breathing
- Inability to wrinkle nose
TREATMENT FOR FACIAL PALSY
For most patients of Bell’s palsy, facial paralysis is temporary and their chances of recovering with or without treatment are quite bright. For those few in whom the eyelids don’t close fully or the smile remains crooked, cosmetic surgery is an
option. Physical rehabilitative therapy is also used to strengthen the facial muscles and prevent permanent damage.
If partial facial paralysis continues to linger, Dr. Shree Rao may give the option of Botox treatments as a solution to help restore the symmetry of the face.
Botox is a temporary injectable treatment, through which Dr. Shree Rao will alter the neural impulses being carried to the hyperactive muscles on the affected side of the face. This helps the muscles relax and thus improve the mechanism of tension and smiling. As Botox is a temporary solution, it can be repeated if/when the effects wears off.
However, where the facial nerve is permanently damaged, Facial nerve decompression surgery is the most commonly preferred treatment since it
helps avoid repeat episodes in the future.
During the first consultation, ENT specialist Dr. Shree Rao may ask you to try and move your facial muscles on the affected side e.g. lifting the eyebrow, closing the eye, smiling, frowning etc. Depending on the severity, she may call for tests such as Electromyography – which shows the health of the muscles and nerves, Electroneuronography – which reveals the conduction velocity nerves, scans, and blood tests. After the evaluation of one or more of these,
Dr. Shree Rao will advise the patient whether Facial nerve decompression surgery is the way forward. In cases where a patient is not a good candidate for facial nerve decompression surgery, Dr. Shree Rao may advise cross-facial nerve graft or masseteric facial nerve transfer procedures.
Treatment for facial nerve decompression can be accomplished in through Transmastoid facial nerve decompression or Middle fossa and Translabyrinthine facial nerve decompression, or a combination of both, depending on the situation. Dr. Shree Rao, ENT Surgeon is adept at all these.
Transmastoid facial nerve decompression: Performed if injury to the facial nerve is located around the mastoid or tympanic segments of the nerve, this procedure decompresses the nerve over 180 degrees of its circumference.
Middle fossa and Translabyrinthine facial nerve decompression: This procedure can be done alone or in conjunction with the transmastoid surgery. This combination is proven as beneficial for facial nerve compression caused by temporal bone damage.
Best Facial Palsy Doctor in Hyderabad
About Dr. Shree Cuddapah Rao
Dr. Shree Cuddapah Rao is acclaimed as one of the Best Facial Palsy Doctor in Hyderabad. With 10+ years of deep domain experience in the field of ENT, she is the director at Dr. Rao’s ENT Super Specialty International Hospital.
Dr.Shree Rao underwent specialized training in Rhinoplasty / Facial Plastic surgery at Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. She also underwent advanced training in cochlear implant surgery under Padmashri Dr. Milind V Kirtane and has a Fellowship in cochlear implant. Having performed over 200 successful cochlear implants for patients from all over the world, Dr. Shree Cuddapah Rao is also the recipient of several prestigious accolades in the domain of ENT and considered as the best Cochlear Implant Surgeon in India.
General FAQs
Dr. Shree C Rao can be consulted on all days except Wednesday, subject to appointment availability. For checking availability, reach out to us over WhatsApp by clicking here or Enquiry form here.
Yes, one can opt for online consultation while getting an appointment.
Yes, International patients can consult Dr. Shree Rao virtually.
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