Facial Palsy or Bell’s palsy is a condition that affects the facial nerve usually just on one side of the face leaving paralysis. Often initial diagnosis is stroke as the symptoms are slurred speech, the start of facial paralysis, drooping of the face and mouth on one side of the face, inability to close one of the eyelids. Our task was to create medical illustrations of the nerve and the associated anatomy regarding Bell’s palsy for use in patient education by an association called Facial Palsy UK.
Facial Palsy UK is an association that deals with Bell’s palsy and they are an committed association where suffers of facial palsy not just Bell’s palsy can go to receive the best information, treatment and support available. It provides a vital service as it is one of the very few specialist associations for facial palsy.
Bell’s palsy is something we are very aware of as the artists husband Tim Butler suffered with the condition a few years ago and within the same family a niece at aged just 1 years old. Tim attended Facial Palsy UK and was treated by Dr. Nduka. Tim still attends the group today and through this association with Facial Palsy UK we were commissioned to create some illustrations. Their purpose to be used as part of the educational tools used by the surgeons and doctors when dealing with patients and Bells’ palsy sufferers to help a doctor explain to a patient which nerves have been affected, which muscles are affected and why.