A 39-year-old member asked:
Will stress cause bell's palsy?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Fergusonanswered
Pediatrics 48 years experience
No: Bell palsey is felt to represent an reaction to a prior viral illness where antibodies developed to fight off the virus attack the facial nerve on one side instead. This produces the one sided facial droop.Most recover in time with no specific rx. Stress may predate a stroke, but this palsy has no link to that condition.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Arthur Heller commented
Gastroenterology 45 years experience
Bell's palsy may also be a presenting sign of Lyme disease
Jan 6, 2012
Dr. John Hoffmannanswered
Plastic Surgery 40 years experience
Not typically: Bell's palsy is thought to be due to a viral infection of the facial nerve but the exact cause is often unknown. While stress can aggravate many neurological problems it is not thought to be a cause of bell's palsy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 21-year-old member asked:
Can bell's palsy be caused by stress?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. David Astrachananswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 39 years experience
No: Although stress can cause the immune system to not work as well and this might lead to an increased incidence of viral illnesses, stress by itself does not cause bell's palsy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old member asked:
Can bell's palsy be caused by lots of stress?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Jeffrey Pollardanswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 23 years experience
Bell's Palsy: Stress is known to trigger many neurological conditions to flair, particularly when they are believed to be caused by an infectious agents (such as "fever blisters" and "shingles" from herpes). Bell's palsy is controversial, in that the root cause is not proven to be known, but could certainly be viral or "inflammatory".
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
What causes relapse of bell's palsy?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Colin Kerranswered
Family Medicine 46 years experience
Bell palsy relapse: Mostly bad luck. Probably chronic stress and reduced immunity are factors, but it is very difficult to prove. It is well known that some people are prone to repeated episodes of bell's palsy, but this is unusual, and there are no known proven strategies to prevent these relapses.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old member asked:
What causes bell's palsy?
8 doctor answers • 21 doctors weighed in
Dr. David Astrachananswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 39 years experience
Viral infection: Bell's palsy is one reason people develop facial paralysis. True bell's palsy is felt to be caused by a viral infection of the facial nerve leading to swelling of the nerve and damage to it caused by decreased blood flow. Steroids are very helpful in treating this. Some people incorrectly term facial paralysis "bell's palsy." this is not correct, you must exclude other causes of facial paralysis.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
What are the possible causes of bells palsy?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. David Astrachananswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 39 years experience
Viral infection: Bell's palsy is one reason people develop facial paralysis. True bell's palsy is felt to be caused by a viral infection of the facial nerve leading to swelling of the nerve and damage to it caused by decreased blood flow. Steroids are very helpful in treating this. Some people incorrectly term facial paralysis "bell's palsy." this is not correct, you must exclude other causes of facial paralysis.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Feb 7, 2020
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