Bell’ s palsy is an idiopathic facial palsy of the peripheral type. A herpes virus is the most likely mechanism. We report a patient with the often encounte red combination of a facial palsy with ipsilateral sensory changes. Magnetic res onance imaging showed had contrast enhancement in the greater petrosal nerve. Vi ral spread through anatomical connections could be an explanation for the associ ation of facial palsy with numbness. Bell’s s palsy is an idiopathic facial palsy of the peripheral type. A herpes virus is the most likely mechanism. We report a patient with the often encounte red combination of a facial palsy with ipsilateral sensory changes. in the greater petrosal nerve. Vi ral spread through anatomical connections could be an explanation for the assocition of facial palsy with numbness.