In 1996 in the Turiec region 32 patients suffered from paralysis of the VIIth nerve which means in a population of 113 000 an incidence of 28.31/100 000/year. In 1997 there were 76 peripheral facial paralyses, i.e. in a population of 114 843 in Turiec an incidence of Bell™s palsy of 66.66/100 000/year. In 1997 the authors treated from the total number of patients with Bell™s palsy 22 (28.95 %) at the Neurological Clinic. In the group women predominated at a rate of 2.14:1. Cold-induced facial paralysis on the background of parainfectious neuropathy has a favourable course, similarly as Bell™s palsy. Virus induced neuropathy (2 patients) took a favourable course in one patient, in the other patient the development was adverse. Effective treatment was local administration of triamcinolone (Kenalog) along with systemic oral or intravenous administration (bolus) of a megadose of methyl prednisolone (1.0 g O 0.5 g O 0.5 g on the 1 st to 3 rd day), with intense rehabilitation and electrostimulation of the mimic muscles. Other authors recommend vitamin B12 and neuroprotective drugs nimodipine (Nimotop), vitamin E and tirilazade (Freedox) in a three-day cure. As in 70 % tissue specimens of the ganglion geniculi in some groups specific antibodies against herpes simplex virus (HSV) are present, it is recommended to combine local and systemic corticoid treatment with acyclovirus 5x400 mg/day in adults and 5x200 mg in children. The trivial cure of warm poultices applied to the area of the ear and mastoid area which proves useful in practice, creates conditions for rapid relief of the vasomotor disorder of the vasa nervorum n. VIIth.

        Key words: facial nerve palsy, Bell™s palsy, neuritis, borreliosis, herpes viruses