Crooked mouth, unclothed eyes after a night's sleep
A male university final year student had to be hospitalized in a state of crooked mouth and unclosed eyes after waking up.
Previously, the male student soaked in a hot water tank for about 2-3 hours, then returned to a room with air conditioning. The next morning, the patient panicked when he discovered that his mouth was not closed, he drank water with difficulty, his teeth brushed with water flowing out, he could not smile, his eyes were not closed, and his eyebrows on one side did not move.
The patient came to Bach Mai Hospital for examination and was diagnosed with peripheral VII cranial nerve palsy, commonly known as facial paralysis.
The patient was treated with anti-inflammatory drugs combined with traditional medicine such as electroacupuncture, massage and acupressure, and ventosas. After a short time, symptoms improved significantly, facial muscle movements recovered better, and eating and living became more convenient.
Why is it still easy to get facial paralysis in hot weather?
According to MSc.BS Hoang Duy Luan, Department of Traditional Medicine - Bach Mai Hospital, peripheral VII cranial nerve palsy is a fairly common disease, which can occur at any age.
Dr. Luan said that summer is a time when many people are subjective because they think the weather is hot so they cannot "get cold". However, continuously moving between hot and cold environments, from sunny outdoors to air-conditioned rooms immediately, or letting cold winds blow directly into the face, head, and nape of the neck can cause blood vessels to contract, causing local ischemia and neuropathy, leading to facial paralysis.
Typical manifestations include: facial imbalance, mouth deformed to one side, loss of forehead wrinkles, eyes on the paralyzed side not closed tightly, drinking water easily flowing out of the corners of the mouth, speaking unclearly, not whistling or puffing cheeks. Some cases may be accompanied by ear pain, tinnitus, reduced taste in the front of the tongue.
According to doctors, the disease is not life-threatening, but if treated slowly, it can leave prolonged sequelae such as facial muscle stiffness, persistent crooked mouth, reduced taste, affecting the patient's appearance and psychology.
Do not self-treat at home
Doctors recommend that when signs of mouth distortion, eyes that are not closed, or smiling face-to-face appear, people need to go to a medical facility early for examination and proper treatment. Do not arbitrarily scrape, apply medicine or delay treatment at home.
To limit the risk of facial paralysis in the hot season, people should not leave the air conditioner too cold, avoid letting cold wind blow directly into the face, head, and nape of the neck; do not bathe late at night; need to dry hair after washing; limit sudden temperature changes; maintain exercise, eat regularly, get enough sleep and avoid prolonged stress.
