Seasonal patterns of idiopathic facial paralysis: A 16-year study

The annual frequency of Bell's palsy in 16 consecutive years was investigat ed in a 465,000-person health area in Madrid, Spain. The annual incidence o f Bell's palsy per 100,000 population was found to be 24.1, The male-to-fem ale ratio was 46:54, Seasonal difference in the incidence was noted in our series with fewer cases during summer. According to these results, the illn ess in Spain seems to have a similar incidence to that in Western countries . In addition to this, Bell's palsy does not have an infectious epidemiolog ic pattern in our country, but its frequency decreases in warm weather.