sevier ear pain followed by facial numbness and paralysis

[blackbear2002kb]

hello, i am a 23 year old white female, a bit over weight, but generally in good health. i have had extreme pain in my left ear which radiated down to my left jaw at the jaw line for 4 days now. i woke 2 days ago with partial numbness in my face, with no paralysis. i put ear drops in my left ear, thinking i had an ear infection, that i had left over from a previous ear infection. i went to bed night before last after doing the ear drops, and woke up yesterday morning with partial paralysis of the left side of my face. my ear pain was gone, but i have had a throbbing, constant pain in my left jaw since. i woke this morning with near complete paralysis of the left side of my face, making blinking my left eye very hard. i also am still having the throbbing pain in my jaw. my lymph nodes on both sides of my neck are hard to the touch. what kind of dignosis might i expect from the doctors, and what may be the treatment for this? thank you very much

[bleach522]

A related discussion, Ear numbness? was started.

[Carol in PA]

One thing that you should know, is that a certain percentage of Bell's Palsy is due to infection with Borrelia bergdorferi bacteria, which causes Lyme Disease.
If you should develop any other symptoms suggestive of Lyme, you need to investigate further.  The Canadian Lyme Foundation at canlyme.com has a good symptoms list.

I hope your recuperation continues uneventfully.
Carol

[blackbear2002kb]

thank you both very much, i appreciate it greatly, it turns out it is bells, and after a week of antivirals and steroids, i am regaining feeling, and hope soon to get total control of the left side of my face again. again, i would like to thank you for your concerns.. blackbear2002kb

[Nurseynurse714]

Agree with Carol---- would be concerned about Bell's Palsy. See your MD. Good luck.

[Carol in PA]

This may be Bell's Palsy, an infection of one of the cranial nerves.
This can be caused by a virus or a bacteria.  
Please make an appointment with your doctor.

Wishing you the best,
Carol