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Aug 15, 2021 · The actor has faced cancer scares, hypertension, and Bell's palsy, and has undergone surgeries to lower her risk of ovarian and breast cancer. She has also shared her story to raise awareness and help others with her health issues.
- Julia Duda
Dec 5, 2023 · Bell’s palsy is a condition that leads to paralysis of the facial nerve, the peripheral nerve responsible for facial movement, according to the Mayo Clinic. The muscles on the side of one’s ...
- Eric Todisco
- Overview
- What is Bell’s palsy?
- How Bell’s palsy is treated and what recovery is like
- The bottom line:
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•Actress Angelina Jolie is talking about how stress took a toll on her health.
•Jolie said she developed Bell’s palsy leading up to her divorce.
•Bell’s palsy is idiopathic, meaning it’s unclear what, exactly, causes the condition.
Angelia Jolie revealed that she developed Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes unexplained facial muscle weakness or paralysis, in the months leading up to her divorce from Brad Pitt.
Jolie, 48, believes the condition resulted from the stress she was experiencing at the time.
“My body reacts very strongly to stress,” Jolie told WSJ. “My blood sugar goes up and down. I suddenly had Bell’s palsy six months before my divorce.”
With Bell’s palsy, a nerve that travels behind the ear becomes inflamed — often due to a viral or post-viral condition.
The facial nerve will swell, and the surrounding bone can press on the nerve, leading to facial droop.
“Impaired immunity due to stress may be an exacerbating factor,” Dr. Kunal Desai, a director of neuromuscular medicine at Yale Medicine and assistant professor of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine, says.
Dr. Jon-Paul Pepper, an associate professor of otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) at Stanford Medicine, says the hallmark symptom is rapid onset of facial weakness.
“It is usually not subtle,” Pepper says. “Patients will report waking up and noticing that one side of their face does not move.”
People may have trouble closing their eyes, raising their eyebrows, smiling, and even eating and drinking.
Treatment should begin within 72 hours of symptom onset.
Guidance from the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery recommends prescribing prednisone for 10 days with or without antiviral therapy, such as acyclovir or valacyclovir.
Eye care is also important since Bell’s palsy can impact eye function.
“Lubricating eye drops, artificial tears and protective eyewear are recommended for patients with eye closure weakness,” Desai said.
Certain individuals with severe symptoms may require surgical decompression of the facial nerve.
With this intervention, there is a high level of risk and the clinical benefit is unclear, Kocchar noted.
Angelia Jolie revealed that she developed Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes unexplained facial muscle weakness or paralysis, leading up to her divorce from Brad Pitt. The condition is thought to be triggered by a viral infection and can appear suddenly. Stress may weaken the immune system and exacerbate the condition.
Angelina Jolie said she developed Bell's palsy, a facial nerve disorder, due to stress before her divorce. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of this condition and how stress can affect it.
Oct 24, 2019 · The actress shares how she copes with her genetic risk of cancer and the loss of her mother in a heartfelt article for TIME magazine. She also reflects on the importance of women's care, dignity and equality in health innovation.
Jul 27, 2017 · Angelina Jolie’s scare with Bell’s palsy was a big wake-up call. Here, a primer on the mysterious disease’s sudden inset, telltale symptoms, and restorative treatments.
- Elizabeth Varnell
Sep 28, 2023 · Angelina Jolie may have been a huge star in the noughties, but behind the scenes, she was struggling with severe mental health issues. Now, the actor has opened up about how parenthood has helped her mental health.
Jul 26, 2017 · Angelina Jolie says she developed high blood pressure and Bell's palsy last year. The actress-director tells Vanity Fair that she credits acupuncture for her full recovery from the paralysis, which was caused by nerve damage and led one side of her face to droop.
