Guest Post by Dr. Joseph Mercola
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Bell’s palsy diagnoses have been skyrocketing, with close to 50 million more people affected worldwide than before COVID-19. What’s driving the increase?
Story at a glance:
- Bell’s palsy diagnoses increased 8.6% among those who had COVID-19, while the incidence of Bell’s palsy also rose 6.8% among those who received a COVID-19 shot.
- Bell’s palsy has previously been noted as a complication of meningococcal, hepatitis B, smallpox and influenza (seasonal and H1N1) vaccinations
- During two phase 3 COVID-19 shot trials involving 73,898 people, eight cases of Bell’s palsy were detected — seven among the shot groups and one among the placebo groups.
- According to one analysis, the observed incidence of Bell’s palsy among those who received COVID-19 shots is between 3.5 times and seven times higher than would be expected in the general population.
- The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 shots are most commonly involved in Bell’s palsy cases; the time between receiving the shot and onset of facial weakness ranges from one to 48 days.
Bell’s palsy, a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness of facial muscles, typically affects about 40,000 people in the U.S. annually.
But since the COVID-19 pandemic, Bell’s palsy diagnoses have been skyrocketing, with close to 50 million more people affected worldwide than before COVID-19. Continue reading “What’s Behind Skyrocketing Cases of Bell’s Palsy?”
