Electrodiagnostic Findings in the Early Stages of Bell's Palsy and Ramsay-Hunt's Syndrome

The incidence of denervation, as determined electrodiagnostically (nerve excitability test and electroneuronography), was analysed during the course of the disease in 150 patients with Bell's palsy and 45 with Ramsay-Hunt's syndrome. Of all 150 patients, 14.2% of those with Bell's palsy and 44% of the patients with Ramsay-Hunt syndrome either showed denervation at the time of the initial examination or developed denervation from neurapraxia within 3 weeks after the onset of paralysis.