Vestibular abnormalities in patients with Bell's palsy.

In order to assess the extent of the underlying pathology in Bell's palsy, the vestibular function of 24 patients was evaluated within the first week from the onset of facial paralysis. Seven patients had pathological findings by ENG and an additional three had subjective vestibular signs; four of these ten patients also showed abnormal auditory brain stem evoked potentials. There was no correlation between the severity of the paralysis or the prognosis for recovery and the presence of vestibular abnormalities.