Bell's Palsy in Spanish

What it means

Bell's palsy is a disorder of the nerve that controls movement of the muscles in the face, called the facial or seventh cranial nerve. Damage to this nerve causes weakness or paralysis of these muscles, and Bell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis. It usually affects just one side of the face. Symptoms most often start suddenly and may range from mild to severe; they include twitching or weakness of the muscles in the face, drooping of the eyelid or corner of the mouth, drooling, and difficulty closing one eye. It is thought to be due to swelling (inflammation) of the facial nerve, and the cause is often not clear. Most people begin to get better within 2 weeks. MedlinePlus says to contact a provider right away if the face droops, because the provider can check for other, more serious conditions, such as a stroke.

Spanish term: Parálisis de Bell
Gender and article: feminine: la parálisis de Bell
Pronunciation: pah-RAH-lee-sees deh BEHL

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
parálisis facial	General	Listed by the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia among its alternative names for parálisis de Bell.
parálisis facial periférica idiopática	General	Longer clinical name listed by the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia among its alternative names.

Parálisis de Bell is the name MedlinePlus en español uses, and it is feminine: la parálisis de Bell, una parálisis de Bell. English has two spellings, Bell's palsy on the MedlinePlus topic page and Bell palsy as the encyclopedia title; the Spanish pages use the single form with de. The MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia lists parálisis facial and parálisis facial periférica idiopática among its alternative names. It also explains the word itself: parálisis means that the muscles cannot be used at all.

Words MedlinePlus en español uses with it: nervio facial or séptimo par craneal (facial or seventh cranial nerve), debilidad (weakness), párpado (eyelid), comisura de la boca (corner of the mouth), babeo (drooling) and lagrimeo (tearing). For slurred words the encyclopedia gives the medical term disartria, and for the test of the facial muscles and the nerves that control them, electromiografía (EMG).

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I woke up this morning and one side of my face was drooping.	Me desperté esta mañana y tenía un lado de la cara caído.
Clinician	When did the weakness in your face start?	¿Cuándo empezó la debilidad en la cara?
Clinician	Please raise your eyebrows, close your eyes tightly, and smile.	Por favor, levante las cejas, cierre los ojos con fuerza y sonría.
Patient	I cannot close my left eye completely, and it feels dry.	No puedo cerrar del todo el ojo izquierdo y lo siento seco.
Patient	Food and liquid fall out of one side of my mouth.	La comida y los líquidos se me salen por un lado de la boca.
Clinician	Do you have weakness in an arm or a leg, or trouble speaking?	¿Tiene debilidad en un brazo o una pierna, o dificultad para hablar?
Patient	Is this Bell's palsy, or could it be a stroke?	¿Es parálisis de Bell o podría ser un accidente cerebrovascular?
Clinician	Sudden drooping of the face should be checked right away to rule out more serious conditions, such as a stroke; in an emergency, call 911.	La caída repentina de la cara debe evaluarse de inmediato para descartar afecciones más graves, como un accidente cerebrovascular; en una emergencia, llame al 911.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Bell's Palsy
Spanish (Español)	Parálisis de Bell
Chinese (中文)	貝爾氏麻痺
Korean (한국어)	벨 마비
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Liệt mặt Bell
Filipino (Tagalog)	Bell's Palsy
Portuguese (Português)	Paralisia de Bell
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	อัมพาตใบหน้าเบลล์
Japanese (日本語)	ベル麻痺

Where you'll see it

chartEOBreferralmedical record

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: G51 → Facial nerve disorders

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Brain and nerves

All terms in this area: Brain and nerves — Cerebro y nervios

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.