Question

What would you assess for if there is damage to cranial nerve VII?

What is the difference between a stroke and Bell’s Palsy? Is cranial nerve VII affected?

Answer 1

Cranial nerve VII is responsible to control the function of face.

Assessment:

• Facial symmetry to be assessed, a damage to this nerve results in facial drooping to one side
• Ask the patient to frown this should lead to even wrinkles on forehead, affected side doesn't shows any wrinkles
• Puffing the cheek leads to deviation of the affected side
• Similarly when patient shows teeth, it deviates to one side
• Nasolabial folds:flattened

Some of the difference between stroke and Bell's palsy are

Stroke	Bell's palsy
Occurs because of a blood clot in the blood vessels supplying blood to brain Elderly population are at high risk Symptoms erupt in few seconds Pain doesn't occur in ear Numbness is common Paralysis occurs Patient looses consciousness Pupils or not equal when exposed to light No nasolabialial folds	Occurs due to damage of the cranial nerve seven It can occurs from early adulthood to late adulthood The symptoms start to come in few hours to days. Pain is felt in ear. Numbness may or may not occur No paralysis The consciousness is not altered The pupils are generally equal here Nasolabial folds are present