Topics: Health, Film and TV, Celebrity
Teen Mom star Bristol Palin has admitted she's 'worried' about her health following a recent facial paralysis from a disorder ‘brought on by stress’.
The 34-year-old actor has explained she was left with 'zero movement' on the left side of her face, following a 'pulling' feeling towards the left nine days prior.
"Within a couple hours, the entire left side of my face was numb and just paralysed," she told her followers on Instagram.
"I couldn't really blink my eye [and I] definitely had no movement on the side of my face... So crazy."
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On one particular day, Palin opened up on the pain she had been suffering in an honest address to her followers.
"It's so bad. My nose is like crooked when I talk. It's really bad," she said before heading to the doctor's office.
After extensive tests at the hospital, medical experts think Palin may have Bell's palsy - though she hasn't received a definite diagnosis as of yet.
Mayo Clinic states the condition 'causes sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face'.
"Often the weakness is short-term and improves over weeks. The weakness makes half of the face appear to droop. Smiles are one-sided, and the eye on the affected side is hard to close," the website added.
Also known as acute peripheral facial palsy, the condition can impact those at any age, though the exact cause remains unclear at this stage.
Experts do however believe swelling and irritation of the nerve that controls the muscles on one side of the face contributes towards it, as per Mayo Clinic.
It could also be caused by a reaction that occurs after a viral infection.
The website continued: "Symptoms usually start to improve within a few weeks, with complete recovery in about six months."
As she shared pictures and videos of her progress, the Teen Mom star said on Instagram: "I know I look crazy right now but this has been such an improvement from what I was looking like."
Things are on the up for Palin thankfully, as she explained treatments and other medication has helped the cause.
"I'm finally starting to get some sensation back. It's been a little painful the last two days which is a good indication that it's getting better," she explained.
Get well soon Bristol!
