I came down with shingles in my right ear which caused Bell's Palsy approximately 10 weeks ago. There's lots of conflicting info on the Internet as to length of time before recovery. Can you help?

Hello Anonymous,

I am so sorry to hear about this complication that you are suffering from.

Bell's palsy is a paralysis or weakness of the muscles on one side of the face.
Damage to the facial nerve that controls muscles on one side of the face causes that side of the face to droop.

Most people who have Bell's palsy recover completely, without treatment, in 1 to 2 months.2 This is especially true for people who can still partly move their facial muscles. But a small number of people may have permanent muscle weakness or other problems on the affected side of the face.

Anonymous, what does your doctor say about it?

Maryann