NBA star Joel Embiid scored 50 points against the Philadelphia 76ers in the recent NBA playoffs.
But the 2023 MVP's standout performance wasn't the main talking point in his postgame press conference.
His left eye was unblinking and his face drooped. Embiid told reporters she was diagnosed with Bell's palsy a week earlier.
Bell's palsy is a neurological disorder and the most common cause of facial paralysis, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Deepak Nehru, MD OSF HealthCare's director of outpatient and virtual neurology services says the signs of Bell's palsy and stroke can look the same.
He says the best way to diagnose this condition is for a health care provider to talk to you face-to-face.
“Some people with Bell's palsy may also experience changes in their hearing, which often results in hypersensitivity. Everything seems to be louder on the affected side.” says Dr. Nair. And in some cases, you may lose the ability to taste on that side of your tongue. ”
In most cases, the immediate cause of Bell's palsy remains unknown. However, one of the most typical causes is an acute viral infection, such as herpes lesions on the skin or shingles lesions on the ear, says Dr. Nair.
When talking about the good and bad of pregnancy, you may have heard terms like postpartum depression and baby blues.
The overarching term is PMAD. Perinatal mood, anxiety, and depression. It is important that mothers and their providers pay close attention to this.
Tiffany Waters is a birth center nurse at OSF HealthCare. She says the stress of being a new mom can lead to her brain fog, crying, changes in sleep, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and even suicidal thoughts.
“There's no single cause that causes a person to experience these problems. It's a combination of psychological, social, and biological factors,” Waters says. “There was nothing her mother did to get or deserve this experience. The best thing we can do is help her get through this.”
Resources include support groups, counseling, spiritual care, medication, and more. Along with finding time to relax with hobbies, it is also important to have a proper diet.
