Differences Between Facial Skin Temperature of the Paralyzed Side and Those of the Normal Side in Bell's Palsy Patients

Bell's Palsy 환자의 건측-환측 안면부 피부온도차이에 관한 연구

Objectives : Bell's palsy in an acute peripheral facial nerve paralysis that usually affects only one side of the face. The seventh cranial nerve carries predominantly motor fibers, but also supplies some autonomic innervation, sensation to park of the ear, and taste to the anterior two thirds of the tongue. The aim of this study is to provide evidence of differences between facial skin temperature of the paralyzed side and normal side in Bell's palsy patients. Methods : the author studied 68 patients with Bell's palsy whose facial nerve function had been documented by the House-Brackmann grading system. We measured skin temperature of the forehead, zygoma, lower lip, temple and lower jaw area of the paralyzed side and those of the normal side. Results : there were significant facial skin temperature differences between the forehead area of paralyzed side and that of normal side of GrII(P<0.05) and III(P<0.05). The result also showed that the facial skin temperature difference according to the aflection period vanished when air temperature was calibrated (F=1.700, P=0.178). Conclusions : Thermography is a useful diagnostic tool in Bell's palsy if the air temperature is low enough to cool the facial skin temperature and the forehead area is evaluated as the sampling zone.