By Priyanka Deshpande
CNBC-TV18.com
Published February 23, 2025
Dhananjay Munde diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy: Check symptoms and causes
Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has been diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, a condition causing sudden facial muscle weakness that has significantly impacted his speech.
Sharing the news on Facebook, Munde revealed that he had undergone eye surgery under Dr. TP Lahane about 15 days ago and had been advised to avoid bright lights, dust, and sun exposure. Here’s everything you need to know about the condition affecting the minister:
Bell’s Palsy is a sudden, temporary weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles, usually affecting one side.
It occurs due to inflammation or compression of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), often linked to viral infections like herpes simplex, varicella-zoster, or Epstein-Barr. Other factors include immune dysfunction, stress, cold exposure, diabetes, and respiratory infections.
Bell’s Palsy symptoms resemble strokes and Guillain-Barré syndrome, including sudden facial weakness, drooping mouth, difficulty closing one eye, drooling, taste loss, sound sensitivity, facial pain, headache, and tearing changes. Symptoms peak in 48 hours and may improve in weeks or months.
Most cases recover without treatment, but doctors may prescribe eye drops, ointments, steroids to reduce swelling, or antiviral medications. While most regain full facial strength, some rare cases may experience long-term effects.