Joel Embiid put collectively a masterful efficiency Thursday evening to hold the Philadelphia 76ers to a win over the New York Knicks in Sport 3 of their first-round playoff matchup. The Knicks nonetheless maintain a 2-1 collection benefit, however Embiid’s 50-point outburst gave the Sixers life on this collection and confirmed why he is the reigning league MVP. However after the sport, the eye shifted away from Embiid’s scoring to his face, which had been visibly drooping, whereas his left eye hadn’t been blinking. Embiid confirmed through the postgame press convention he had been recognized with Bell’s palsy final week, courting again to earlier than the Sixers’ play-in recreation in opposition to the Miami Warmth.

“It is fairly annoying. My left facet of my face, my mouth and my eye, so yeah, it has been robust,” Embiid stated. “However I am not a quitter, so I acquired to maintain preventing by means of something. It is unlucky, that is the best way I take a look at it. That is not an excuse, I acquired to maintain pushing.”

Embiid had reportedly been attempting to maintain the prognosis beneath wraps, however after Thursday evening’s recreation, it grew to become troublesome to disregard the best way it was affecting his face.

What’s Bell’s palsy?

This is how Johns Hopkins Medication defines it:

“Bell’s palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weak point or paralysis. It begins instantly and worsens over 48 hours. This situation outcomes from harm to the facial nerve. Ache and discomfort normally happen on one facet of the face or head.”

Embiid has been sporting sun shades whereas speaking to media, or holding his head all the way down to not present his face, as he was doubtless attempting to keep away from consideration surrounding it. He stated the signs began a day or two earlier than the Warmth recreation on April 17, as he was coping with a nasty migraine. In accordance with Johns Hopkins, Bell’s palsy most frequently happens in individuals who have diabetes, the flu, a chilly or different respiratory sickness, in addition to pregnant ladies. The reason for the paralysis is unknown, however Johns Hopkins says, “It’s thought that it might be as a consequence of irritation that’s directed by the physique’s immune system in opposition to the nerve controlling motion of the face.” Bell’s palsy can impression anybody of any age, and whereas it isn’t thought of everlasting, in uncommon instances it might stay. Nonetheless, most individuals recognized with Bell’s palsy find yourself regaining full energy of their facial muscle mass.

What are the signs of Bell’s palsy?

Embiid is experiencing a lot of the frequent signs of Bell’s palsy, together with lack of feeling within the face, headache and “disordered motion” of the muscle mass within the face that management smiling, blinking, squinting and shutting your eye. However different signs, in response to Johns Hopkins, are tearing, drooling, lack of style on the entrance of your tongue, hypersensitivity to sound within the affected ear, and incapability to shut your eye on the affected facet of your face.

How do you deal with Bell’s palsy?

If Bell’s palsy is being brought on by one thing particular, like having the flu or chilly, then it might be handled by taking flu or chilly drugs. If there is not a particular trigger, Johns Hopkins says that therapy choices embody making certain the impacted eye stays protected with eye drops or an ointment. Antiviral remedy might be taken, and so can a steroid that can assist with the irritation. Bodily remedy to assist stimulate the facial nerves is an possibility, or making use of warmth to the affected space to alleviate ache.

Bell’s palsy usually resolves over time, and on condition that Embiid has been in a position to play for the previous week — and drop 50 factors on Thursday — it does not seem like affecting him too severely the place it’s impacting his recreation. Individuals impacted by Bell’s palsy typically begin to get well two weeks to 6 months after signs first began. Since Embiid started experiencing signs a few days earlier than April 17, he might hopefully be nearing the highway to restoration quickly.