Like all the other muscles of the body, facial muscles are also prone to disorders and ailments. These ailments can obstruct one’s ability to chew food properly, to speak clearly or to communicate one’s emotions effectively. The common ailments affecting the facial muscles are Bell’s palsy, Twitching of Facial Muscles and Stroke. An overview of these ailments is as follows:

Bell’s palsy: This disorder causes a temporary paralysis of the facial muscles, causing it to droop or become stiff towards one side. The person suffering from it will have difficulty in smiling and closing the eyelids of the affected area. It occurs when the nerves controlling the muscles become swollen, compressed or inflamed. Experts believe that it’s most likely to be caused by a viral infection. The symptoms usually start after one or two weeks of having a cold, eye infection or ear infection, occurring abruptly while you wake up in the morning or start chewing your food. It may also cause synkinesis, where two unrelated muscles move involuntarily, like one’s eye may close while he/she smiles. Fortunately, people recover from Bell’s palsy within two weeks to six months, depending on the damage occurred to the nerves.