Bernadine Oliver-Kerby has been experiencing facial paralysis on one side of her face due to being diagnosed with Bell's palsy. Photo / Instagram
Bernadine Oliver-Kerby has been experiencing facial paralysis on one side of her face due to being diagnosed with Bell's palsy. Photo / Instagram
AM presenter Bernadine Oliver-Kerby is off air due to a shock Bell’s palsy diagnosis, her co-hosts revealed yesterday.
As fellow presenter Melissa Chan-Green explained, Oliver-Kerby is experiencing facial paralysis on one side of her face due to the condition. But what exactly is Bell’s palsy and what causes the condition?
Non-surgical cosmedicine expert Dr Catherine Stone reveals it’s fairly common, affecting 1-4 in 10,000 people. It’s usually the result of injury or damage to a facial nerve known as the seventh cranial nerve, which controls the muscles in the face, though there’s no “defined cause”, she says.
“If there is swelling of the nerve due to inflammation ... there is no room to accommodate this nerve, so it gets compressed. The increased pressure means the neural signals can’t get to the muscle, causing one-sided drooping of the face,” she explains.
The symptoms can often mislead people to think they’ve experienced a stroke, she says, revealing that the key difference is that Bell’s palsy is limited to the face.
In most cases the condition is temporary, and can come on after a viral illness. If symptoms last longer than six months, Botox and fillers can help make the face go back to “normal”, Stone says.
“Fortunately in most people it will improve within the first six months and most will come completely back to normal,” she says, adding that the condition can be “emotionally and socially devastating”.
“Many people will withdraw from social situations until their face becomes more normal again.”
Anyone of any age or gender can get Bell’s Palsy, Stone says - noting that pop star Justin Bieber was also recently diagnosed with the condition.
Dr Catherine Stone of The Face Clinic. Photo / Supplied
Stone has examined claims that the condition can be caused by the Covid-19 vaccine. But while it’s recommended that people be monitored for symptoms following vaccination, there isn’t enough data to prove a causal link.
Oliver-Kerby is taking an extended period of sick leave to focus on her health following the diagnosis.
The AM newsreader was noticeably absent from the show recently, with her co-hosts yesterday revealing why.
“You may have noticed that our lovely Bernadine has been absent from the show for a while now. Bern is going to be taking an extended period of sick leave after experiencing facial paralysis on one side of her face due to Bell’s palsy,” shared Green.
“Bernadine can’t wait to reunite with the team, with us and with you at home, the AM viewers and with the rest of the recovery now her main priority,” continued Bridge.
Bridge also noted that Oliver-Kerby was extremely grateful to the team at Auckland Hospital who “took such great care of her”.
Chan also later extended her thanks from the team “for taking such good care of our friend”.
The duo went on to reveal how strange it was to read the statement off-script when it was about someone so close to them.
Bridge then went off script sharing the team’s best wishes for the stalwart presenter.
“Bern we love you, you know we do. You’re an incredible presence on this programme. We love your wit, we love your humour, we miss you. We look forward to seeing you back as soon as you can.”
