Bell's palsy is an acute form of cranial mononeuropathy VII, and it is the most common form of this type of nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy). Statistics indicate that the disorder affects approximately 2 in 10,000 people. However, the actual incidence is likely to be much higher (around 1 in 500 to 1 in 1,000). The disorder is a mononeuropathy (involvement of a single nerve) that damages the seventh cranial (facial) nerve, the nerve that controls movement of the muscles of the face. The cause is often not clear, although herpes infections may be involved. The disorder is presumed to be associated with inflammation of the facial nerve where it travels through the bones of the skull. Other causes of cranial mononeuropathy VII, such as head injury and tumor, need to be excluded. Other conditions, such as sarcoidosis, diabetes, and Lyme disease, are associated with Bell's palsy.
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