PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Joel Embiid said after the Philadelphia game 76ers win against the New York Knicks On Thursday evening, he was confronted with a case of Bell’s palsy, a health condition that causes weakness, pain and discomfort in the muscles of the face.
“It’s pretty annoying. My left side of my face, my mouth and my eyes, so yeah, it’s been tough,” Embiid said, “but I’m not a quitter, so I have to keep fighting against anything. It’s unfortunate, that’s how I see it. It’s not an excuse, I have to keep pushing.”
Embiid said he started noticing the symptoms a day or two before the NBA Play-In tournament game against the Miami Heat after having severe migraines.
Recently, Embiid was seen wearing sunglasses indoors before playoff games. He is also not 100% after returning from left knee injury that sidelined him for two months.
“I love playing this game,” Embiid said. “I want to play as much as possible. I only have about eight years left, so I have to enjoy it as much as possible and I want to win.”
Yet Embiid scored a career-high 50 points in the playoffs in the Sixers’ victory over the Knicks in Game 3 of the first round of the NBA playoffs.
With Thursday’s win, the Sixers now lead 2-1 in the series. Game 4 is Sunday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia.
What is Bell’s Palsy?
Bell’s palsy is “an unexplained episode of weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles.” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
According to Johns Hopkins, the condition results from damage to the facial nerve, and the pain and discomfort usually occurs on one side of the person’s face or head.
Bell’s palsy is not considered permanent, but in rare cases it does not go away. According to Johns Hopkins, there is currently no cure for Bell’s palsy, but recovery usually begins two to six months after symptoms appear.
The cause of Bell’s palsy is not known.
