The most fascinating and interesting nerve of all the cranial nerves with which the Otolaryngologist is in daily contact is the facial nerve. It controls the actions of the largest group of muscles upon which people are almost wholly dependent for their daily social contact. The loss of function of the nerve and the facial muscles produces a profound depressing effect upon the psyche. It is not until the development of Bell's palsy that the necessity of a normally functioning facial nerve and musculature makes a strong impact upon the patient, other lay people, and even the physician.
The current-day literature on the therapy of this condition is rather sparse when one considers that the condition is not unconmon, that recovery is slow, that it seriously affects the economic and social status of a person, that residuals all too often are seen which change the physiognomy of a person as