Bell's palsy

n. Paralysis due to problems with one of the seventh pair of cranial (facial) nerves, which control muscle movement in the face. Usual symptoms include partial or total paralysis of one side of the face, an inability to close the eye or mouth, distorted facial expressions, and partial loss of the sense of taste. Bell's palsy is usually due to viral infection which causes swelling which compresses the nerve, and recovery is usually spontaneous but takes several months. It commonly affects only one side of the face.