Talk:Epiphora (medicine)

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Other less common causes of epiphora is paradoxical lacrimation which is due to an abnormal regeneration of facial nerve (CN VII) as a sequelae of Bell's palsy. The nerves that formerly went to the salivary glands regrow to the lacrimal gland causing excessive tearing. Often, these individuals experience excessive tearing whilst eating as movement of the muscles of mastication is controlled by the facial nerve and hence their activation also causes tearing. The previous statement is incorrect because the facial nerve does not innervate the muscles of mastication. The muscles of mastication are innervated by the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. It is true that muscles of mastication are innervated by trigeminal. However, muscles of the lips and cheeks, which are also involved in mastication to a certain degree, are innervated by the facial nerve and thus explains more accurately why mastication can cause lacrimation in epiphora.

Marquess (talk) 10:24, 11 March 2008 (UTC)