Free BCEN Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Question

Bell's palsy is characterized by sudden, unilateral facial paralysis which occurs due to inflammation or compression of the seventh cranial nerve. This condition typically presents with rapid onset of mild weakness to total paralysis on one side of the face. Notably, it does not usually cause significant pain, differentiating it from trigeminal neuralgia, which is characterized by severe facial pain. Guillain-Barre syndrome, while it can affect cranial nerves, typically presents with ascending paralysis and is not limited to facial nerves. Stroke may cause facial paralysis but is usually accompanied by other neurological deficits.