Bell"s Palsy - My Wake Up Call on Health
Do you know what Bell's Palsy is? It is a paralysis of the facial muscles usually caused by a dysfunction of the nerves running on the side of the face.
As a result, there is a twist on the face and most noticeably on the mouth.
The eye lid of the affected side usually fails to open and close properly.
Scary stuff.
This was what I experienced close to seven years ago.
I remember I first had a slight infection inside my right ear.
Two days later, when I woke up and look into the mirror, I suddenly noticed something wrong with my mouth.
It was tilted more to one side.
I sensed that something serious might have happened, so I hurried for the GP and then the specialist.
The first diagnosis was that it might be a mild stroke and I just had to be patient to wait for it to be back to normal again.
They said that there was no medication for it.
Not satisfied with the diagnosis, I went for a second opinion.
It was a lady doctor this time.
She was concerned that the virus might travel through the path from the ear to the centre of the brain so much so that she sent me to the hospital right away.
There in the hospital I was put under observation for 2 nights and three days.
No medication whatsoever, except of course the antiseptic cream for my ear.
I was sent home to take rest on the understanding that there wouldn't be a danger to the brain.
As to the Bell's Palsy, they couldn't established what had caused it.
I might get back to normal or I might not.
But one thing for sure, there was no medication to treat.
This was my wake up call on health.
Never before did I feel that the body can be so fragile and vulnerable.
It does not have to be something really drastic.
Just a matter of a few nerves breaking down, you life would turn upside down.
That was exactly what I felt.
Perhaps it is human nature that we are generally not too good in planning ahead and following through.
We tend to tackle issues as they show up, in a reactive way rather than proactively.
However, when it comes to health, it could be a big gamble.
When things go wrong, it could be a point of no return!
As a result, there is a twist on the face and most noticeably on the mouth.
The eye lid of the affected side usually fails to open and close properly.
Scary stuff.
This was what I experienced close to seven years ago.
I remember I first had a slight infection inside my right ear.
Two days later, when I woke up and look into the mirror, I suddenly noticed something wrong with my mouth.
It was tilted more to one side.
I sensed that something serious might have happened, so I hurried for the GP and then the specialist.
The first diagnosis was that it might be a mild stroke and I just had to be patient to wait for it to be back to normal again.
They said that there was no medication for it.
Not satisfied with the diagnosis, I went for a second opinion.
It was a lady doctor this time.
She was concerned that the virus might travel through the path from the ear to the centre of the brain so much so that she sent me to the hospital right away.
There in the hospital I was put under observation for 2 nights and three days.
No medication whatsoever, except of course the antiseptic cream for my ear.
I was sent home to take rest on the understanding that there wouldn't be a danger to the brain.
As to the Bell's Palsy, they couldn't established what had caused it.
I might get back to normal or I might not.
But one thing for sure, there was no medication to treat.
This was my wake up call on health.
Never before did I feel that the body can be so fragile and vulnerable.
It does not have to be something really drastic.
Just a matter of a few nerves breaking down, you life would turn upside down.
That was exactly what I felt.
Perhaps it is human nature that we are generally not too good in planning ahead and following through.
We tend to tackle issues as they show up, in a reactive way rather than proactively.
However, when it comes to health, it could be a big gamble.
When things go wrong, it could be a point of no return!