Facial Nerve Test

Motor aspect

Make movements such as wrinkling the brow, showing teeth, frowning, closing the eyes tightly, pursing the lips and puffing out the cheeks, all these movements require correct innervations of the muscles of facial expression. When looking in the mirror or at a friend there should be no noticeable asymmetry.

Sensory aspect

Try tasting a range of different foods with the anterior portion of your tongue. An inability to detect flavour here may indicate a facial nerve problem.