Patient's question:
Grandpa has been expressionless for over a year. He often says his tongue feels numb and he can't eat. Does facial paralysis cause tongue numbness? How can it be completely restored?Doctor's answer:
Bell's palsy may lead to tongue numbness, as during facial paralysis, the sense of movement in the tongue may also become abnormal. Additionally, some cases of facial paralysis are central facial palsies, caused by dysfunction of the brain's nerves, so the sense of the tongue may also be affected by the brain. In such cases, a head CT scan can be performed for a thorough examination to check for any cerebrovascular diseases. If cerebrovascular lesions are present, medications for treating cerebrovascular diseases should be used in conjunction with other treatments.