DH having tests

[spurtions]

I am so worried about my DH. A few weeks ago he said that his face felt sore and swollen. He hadn't been to the dentist for a long time and he's a tooth grinder so we thought that it might be related to that and didn't think much more of it. The dentist did say that there was a swelling but that he didn't know what it was and to see the GP. Inevitably DH didn't get round to the GP until it started really bothering him and keeping him awake at night despite me pressing him to do so. Anyway, after 3 nights of no sleep he got himself off to the GP and came home armed with a referral to a maxo-facial specialist. We have private health care which I think is why they gave him an immediate referral.

He made the appointment and in the meantime one side of his face started to freeze. Luckily, his appointment with the specialist was that same day and he took one look at DH and said that he had Bells Palsy and that he would need to have an MRI. He gave DH some hefty doses of steroids and also called his colleague in to have a look and he agreed that it was Bells Palsy.

If it is, then that's ok, it's horrible but it isn't life threatening and whilst DH's face is a little frozen it's not looking odd unless you know what you're looking for. However, the reason why we're petrified is because of the initial swelling which is by the salivary gland. DH thinks that might have gone down a little and the specialist didn't comment on it but everything that we've read and yes, I know that Google is the devil, is that such a swelling (we can't feel a distinct lump) accompanied by Bells Palsy symptoms is highly indicative of salivary gland cancer.

I'm holding on to the fact that he has the MRI tomorrow, that salivary gland cancer is incredibly rare especially in those under 55 (he's 44) and that the specialist has a special interest in these cancers and should be an expert. He has given DH no indication that he thinks that it's cancerous (would he have done if he suspected it?)but I am so petrified that it is. I know that we should just wait until we know for sure but I'm trying to get my head around how we'll manage and how we would be able to support our children.

I hope all turns out well, I have had bells palsy, woke up looking like Quasimodo, I was just given steroids and antivirals, no MRI but didn't have the swelling your DH has, it could just be an infected salivary gland, or abcess
I wouldn't worry too much yet, but good luck ,hope its nothing worse

Thank you so much. How long did it take for your Bell's palsy to go?

My bellspalsy took a very long time, and I still get a tight feeling in that side of my face when I am stressed
I should have had some treatment like tens or something, as it would have gone much quicker,
I had a friend who had treatment like that but I was never offered it, and I made the mistake of looking on a bells palsy forum, and the advice on there was not to have tens treatment,
I believe in general it doesn't last long, maybe a few weeks, but mine took months, although did show improvement over this time
Also I was later told I should have been given the steroids straight away, I wasn't until about a week later
I hope your DHs gets sorted out very quickly and the swelling is nothing serious

I think the recovery time and how good a recovery you make for Bells Palsy depends on how quickly you get steroids. I was told get them within 72 hours for best chance as luckily a friend noticed my facial droop before I did and recognised symptoms although she said she first wondered if it was a stroke. Anyway she made me go to A and E immediately and it was Bells. I took less than a month to make a full recovery. I hope your DH gets sorted quickly and the swelling turns out to be nothing.

Thank you. I've frightened the life out of myself while he seems relatively relaxed about it all

Just wondering how your DH got on after his MRI I hope all isn't as bad as you feared x