When your face goes numb, chances are that some of the nerves that control your facial muscles as well as provide sensation to your face are irritated, pinched or at times damaged. In some cases, facial numbness that is due to anesthesia or sleeping in a single odd position for a long time goes away on its own. In some instances, it gets resolved only when the medical condition that’s causing it is identified and treated or managed.
In this article, you will learn about some medical conditions that are known to cause facial numbness. After checking out its entirety, feel free to share it on your various social media sites to get your family members and friends also introduced to the following pieces of information:
Shingles
Did you have chickenpox in the past? Then you may develop shingles one day. That’s because it is caused by the virus responsible for chickenpox that has become dormant in your body. When it’s activated, it can infect your nerves. Shingles is characterized by a rash that appears on only one side of your body or face. It can appear around an eye, too. A few days before the said rash shows up, you are likely to experience pain or burning in the area where it’s about to appear.
Multiple Sclerosis
MS for short, multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease. Your very own immune system attacks healthy and harmless cells or tissues of the body instead of invading microbes such as bacteria and viruses. Specifically, the protective covering of the nerves is the one that’s attacked and damaged by the immune system. With the protective covering out of the way, nerve damage can happen easily.
Bell’s Palsy
There is a condition that causes the nerves that control the movement of your facial muscles to become swollen, resulting in the weakening or paralysis of the affected muscles. It’s what doctors refer to as Bell’s palsy. Having Bell’s palsy causes one side of your face to droop, including most especially the eyelid and corner of the mouth in the affected area. Most cases of Bell’s palsy resolve on its own in a few weeks or several months.
Tumor
When a tumor shows up near a nerve that allows your face to move or feel things, it’s possible for you to experience facial numbness. That’s because the said growth may press on the nerve, keeping it from functioning optimally. The signs and symptoms of a tumor in the face can vary greatly, depending on which facial nerve is being pinched or pressed.
Stroke
First things first: a stroke is regarded as a medical emergency. Every minute counts — the longer you wait to get help while having a stroke, the higher the risk of ending up with serious and lasting damage to the brain. One of the telltale signs that you are having a stroke is your face suddenly droops or becomes numb. The moment you experience it, seek medical attention ASAP.
TIA
Short for transient ischemic attack, a TIA is just like a stroke. However, the clot that is cutting off the supply of blood to a part of the brain quickly dissolves. This is the reason why the signs and symptoms of a TIA go away after just a few minutes. Because a TIA is practically a mini type of stroke, it’s something that can also cause facial numbness or drooping.
WARNING: None of the details above should be mistaken for medical advice that only a health care professional can offer. If you have facial numbness, it is certainly a good idea to pay your doctor a visit in order to have its cause identified and treated, if necessary.
