Facial Palsy Linked To COVID-19 Vaccination

Facial palsy has been reported after taking COVID-19 vaccine by a patient. The Case report shows that this patient suffered from two facial palsies after receiving two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Patient’s muscles on one side of the face become weak or paralyzed, occurring shortly after each dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

‘The occurrence of the episodes immediately after each vaccine dose strongly suggests that the Bell's palsy was attributed to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.’
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"The occurrence of the episodes immediately after each vaccine dose strongly suggests that the Bell’s palsy was attributed to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, although a causal relationship cannot be established," the authors say.

Four cases of facial palsy of unknown reported in phase 3 trials in volunteers who received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine, and three cases were reported in volunteers who received the Moderna mRNA vaccine.

Three cases of facial nerve palsy were also reported in volunteers who received the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine during clinical trials, and there were three cases in volunteers who received the placebo vaccine.

Now, this case report is on a 61-year-old Caucasian man with no previous history of facial nerve palsy. He had bells palsy on right side of his face five hours after receiving his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and a more severe episode of Bell’s palsy on the left side of his face two days after receiving the second dose.

The patient had a high BMI, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Both doses of the vaccine were administered to the left arm.

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Routine blood tests and a CT head scan showed nothing of concern and he was discharged with a course of steroids, and the facial nerve palsy completely resolved.

The patient received the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine six weeks after the first, and developed a more severe left-sided facial nerve palsy two days later.

He was again prescribed a course of steroids. He was also referred to the emergency ENT clinic, which continued the steroids and referred him to ophthalmology.

"The patient has been advised to discuss future mRNA vaccines with the GP on a case-by-case basis, taking into account risk versus benefit of having each vaccine," they say.

Bell’s palsy spontaneously mostly recover with time, the symptoms can cause significant temporary disability, affecting facial expression and ability to eat and drink.

Source-Medindia