Hi, I am Atul Kumar Nimawat MS ENT.
Bell’s palsy often begins with pain around the ear due to inflammation of the facial nerve as it passes through a narrow bony canal. The swelling or nerve discomfort your sister is feeling could be due to ongoing nerve inflammation or mild fibrosis during healing. This can persist even as facial function improves.
It’s a good sign that facial movements are returning. However, nerve recovery can take time—sometimes up to 3 months or longer.
Next Steps
Continued physiotherapy is helpful. For persistent pain or swelling, sometimes a short course of anti-inflammatory medication or nerve pain modulators may be considered.
Health Tips
If the swelling worsens or new symptoms appear, an ENT or neurologist should re-evaluate to rule out other causes.