Bell’s phenomenon Health Dictionary

Bell’s Phenomenon: From 1 Different Sources


the normal outward and upward rotation of the eyes that occurs when the lids are closed, but not during blinking. [Sir C. Bell]
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Bell’s Palsy

Paralysis of the 7th (facial) nerve which controls muscles of the face. One-sided stiffness and distortion of the face which lacks expression. Inability to close eyes or whistle. Rarely painful.

Aetiology. Injury, virus infection, cold, stroke. Recovery usually spontaneous. Herpes Simp. Alternatives. Chamomile, Wood Betony, Bryonia, Black Cohosh, Barberry, Asafoetida, Lobelia, Rosemary, Valerian, Sage. Echinacea has been used with convincing results internally and externally.

Tea. Equal parts. Chamomile, Wood Betony. Sage. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. 1 cup 3 times daily.

Decoctions. Black Cohosh, Rosemary, Valerian, Echinacea.

Tablets/capsules. Black Cohosh. Ginseng. Echinacea. Valerian.

Powders. Formula. Rosemary 1; Echinacea 2; Valerian 1. Dose: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon) thrice daily.

Tinctures. Formula. Echinacea 2; Rosemary 1; Black Cohosh 1; Pinch Tincture Capsicum. 1-2 teaspoons 3 times daily.

Evening Primrose oil. 4 × 500mg capsules daily.

Aromatherapy. 10 drops Oil Juniper to eggcup Almond oil; gentle massage affected side of face. Diet. Lacto-vegetarian.

Vitamin E. (400iu daily). ... bell’s palsy

Bell’s Palsy

Bell’s palsy, or idiopathic facial nerve palsy, refers to the isolated paralysis of the facial muscles on one or both sides. It is of unclear cause, though damage to the seventh cranial, or FACIAL NERVE, possibly of viral origin, is thought likely. Occurring in both sexes at any age, it presents with a facial pain on the affected side, followed by an inability to close the eye or smile. The mouth appears to be drawn over to the opposite side, and ?uids may escape from the angle of the mouth. Lines of expression are ?attened and the patient is unable to wrinkle the brow. Rare causes include mastoiditis, LYME DISEASE, and hypertension.

Treatment Oral steroids, if started early, increase the rate of recovery, which occurs in over 90 per cent of patients, usually starting after two or three weeks and complete within three months. Permanent loss of function with facial contractures occurs in about 5 per cent of patients. Recurrence of Bell’s palsy is unusual.... bell’s palsy

Raynaud’s Phenomenon

A circulatory disorder affecting the fingers and toes that shares the mechanism, symptoms, and signs of Raynaud’s disease but results from a known underlying disorder.

Possible causes include arterial diseases, such as atherosclerosis; connective tissue diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis; and various drugs, such as beta-blocker drugs.

The disorder is an occupational disorder of people who use pneumatic drills, chain saws, or vibrating machinery; it is sometimes seen in typists, pianists, and others whose fingers suffer repeated trauma.

Treatment is the same as for Raynaud’s disease, along with treatment of the underlying disorder.... raynaud’s phenomenon

Bell And Pad

a psychological method of treating bed-wetting in children and adults. When the subject starts to pass urine it is detected by a pad (or by sheets of metallic mesh) and this sets off a bell (or loud buzzer). The modern form of the apparatus has a small electronic sensor worn under the underclothes and produces a loud bleep. The purpose of the alarm is to waken the subject, who then empties the bladder fully. A process of conditioning leads to the subject learning to be dry. It is effective in about 80% of cases.... bell and pad

Dawn Phenomenon

(Somogyi effect) the phenomenon of high fasting blood-sugar levels in the morning due to an unrecognized hypoglycaemic episode during the night in a person with diabetes. The low blood sugar has resulted in an outpouring of regulatory hormones, such as adrenaline and glucagon, which have raised the blood sugar to supranormal levels by the time of waking. It is important to recognize the cause, since increasing the evening insulin dose, thinking this will bring the morning sugars down, could actually cause a more severe nocturnal hypoglycaemic attack, which the body may not be able to counteract: coma might ensue. The condition can be tested for by measuring blood sugars at the time of the assumed low level.... dawn phenomenon

Jod–basedow Phenomenon

a collection of symptoms that includes skin rash, conjunctivitis, salivary gland inflammation, and hyperthyroidism due to the intake of high doses of iodine (German Jod, hence the name). [K. A. von Basedow (1799–1854), German physician]... jod–basedow phenomenon

Kernohan’s Phenomenon

(Kernohan’s syndrome) *hemiplegia that is *ipsilateral to the brain lesion that caused it, due to pressure of the lesion (which is often a haematoma) on surrounding structures in the brain. It is unusual because normally a lesion of the brain causes dysfunction in the *contralateral limbs. [J. W. K. Kernohan (20th century), US pathologist]... kernohan’s phenomenon

Koebner Phenomenon

(isomorphic response) a phenomenon that occurs in skin diseases, especially psoriasis and lichen planus, in which the characteristic lesions of the disease appear in linear form in response to such trauma as cuts, burns, or scratches. [H. Koebner (1834–1904), German dermatologist]... koebner phenomenon

On–off Phenomenon

the rapid alternation between jerky uncontrolled movements (on) and very limited or no movement (off) most often seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease who have been undergoing long-term treatment with levodopa.... on–off phenomenon

Pulfrich Phenomenon

perception of the lateral motion of an object in the visual field as having a depth component, due to a relative difference in signal timings between the two eyes. It often occurs spontaneously in several diseases affecting the eyes, such as cataract, *retrobulbar neuritis, and multiple sclerosis. [C. Pulfrich (20th century), German physicist]... pulfrich phenomenon

R On T Phenomenon

(in *electrocardiography) the superimposition of an R wave (ventricular *depolarization) on the T wave (ventricular *repolarization) of the preceding heartbeat. It may trigger ventricular fibrillation. See QRS complex; Q–T interval; S–T segment.... r on t phenomenon

Tullio Phenomenon

dizziness induced by exposure to sound. It is seen in various conditions of the inner ear, including *Ménière’s disease and *superior canal dehiscence syndrome. [P. Tullio (1881–1941), Italian biologist]... tullio phenomenon

Uhthoff Phenomenon

the worsening of neurological symptoms, including vision, in demyelinating conditions such as multiple sclerosis, when the body becomes overheated in hot weather or by exercise, fever, or saunas and hot tubs. [W. Uhthoff (1853–1927), German ophthalmologist]... uhthoff phenomenon



Recent Searches