Acupuncture for Bell’s palsy

What can you do for Bell’s palsy, an acute one sided facial paralysis or weakness? Although the cause is unknown, it is believed that this condition may be triggered by inflammation or swelling of the facial nerve (that controls the facial muscles on one side). Antiviral and corticosteroid drugs are widely used as the standard treatment to take down the inflammation. They may be effective … but not always.

When your face droops or becomes stiff, it may not only impact you physically, but also mentally and socially. Not only does Bell’s palsy cause pain which may include headaches and migraines, but it may also cause drooling, difficulty eating, drinking from a straw, and shutting your eye – which can be embarrassing to say the least. This can really magnify insecurity.

In fact, many of our patients share how the condition has made them self-conscious in how they look, lowering their confidence levels and self-esteem, which affects both their home and work life. Instead of leaving your recovery to chance, be open to other complementary treatments that may help you heal.

Acupuncture is one such modality that is low risk, safe, and drug free to help you recover more quickly and prevent you from staying on drugs for a prolonged period. In Fact, research shows that acupuncture is an effective treatment for Bell’s palsy (where there is a significant difference to those that had acupuncture compared to control groups that didn’t use acupuncture).

From an Eastern perspective, Bell’s palsy is viewed as a condition caused by a wind attack on the meridians (energy channels) that go to the face. Interestingly, there are more cases during the windy season. One is more prone to this external invasion if there is an underlying deficiency or weakness of ‘Qi’ energy to allow the invasion of exogenous pathogenic wind, which otherwise maintains balance, health, and resistance of the human body. Another cause includes traumatic events. All these may block the meridians, which leads to numbness, paralysis, swelling and twitching.

Bell’s palsy Common Symptoms

Bell’s palsy’s symptoms come on suddenly while they may worsen in 48 to 72 hours. However, what’s good to know is that the condition is temporary, and symptoms may start to improve within a few weeks especially if you are proactive.

Common symptoms include:

The quick beginning of either mild weakness or total paralysis experienced on one of the sides of the face
Difficulty with facial expressions such as smiling or closing eyes
Drooling
Facial droop
Pain can be felt at the back of the ear or around the jaw
Headache
Sensitivity to sound on the affected side of the face
Change in production level of saliva or tears
A loss of taste
Difficulty in talking
Trouble in eating and drinking

Risk Factors

Bell’s palsy condition is more common in:

Pregnant women during their third trimester or after giving birth
People with diabetes
People with an upper respiratory infection

Though patients with Bell’s palsy may start feeling better after a few weeks, it may take 6 months or more to recover… where some do not fully recover. This is why we recommend treatment if you want a speedy recovery and offset any insecurities. One of the best ways to heal fast is acupuncture. Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese Medicine dating back thousands of years. The procedure involves inserting disposable, surgical grade, hair thin fine needles into specific acupuncture points on the skin or applying various techniques to speed the healing process.

Acupuncture helps:

Clear blockages
Rebalance the body
Restore the Qi flow
increase blood flow
decrease inflammation
stop pain
calms the mind

Most patients suffering from Bell’s palsy start to feel better and experience changes during the first and second treatment. Treatment helps not only your physical body but also the emotional distress that goes along with it. So, if you or a loved one is suffering from Bell’s palsy, schedule a free consultation with us.

At ALIVE Holistic Health, Mary Wong and her team of experts specialize in different treatments including acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, naturopathic medicine, lifestyle counseling, hypnosis and therapeutic massage. We treat you as a whole human and not just a sum of its parts (in this case, you are not just a face). We can provide you with the best methods and services to help you on your path to a speedy recovery while keeping your confidence in tact, and your stress and anxiety down.