CAUSES

Although the exact reason for Bell's palsy or facial palsy occurs isn't clear, it's often related to having a viral infection. Viruses that have been linked to Bell's palsy include viruses that cause:

• Cold sores and genital herpes (herpes simplex)
• Chickenpox and shingles (herpes zoster)
• Infectious mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr)
• Cytomegalovirus infections
• Respiratory illnesses (adenovirus)
• German measles (rubella)Mumps (mumps virus)
• Mumps (mumps virus)
• Flu (influenza B)
• Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (coxsackievirus)
• HIV, which damages the immune systemsarcoidosis, which causes organ inflammation
• sarcoidosis, which causes organ inflammation
• Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection caused by infected ticks

The nerve that controls your facial muscles passes through a narrow corridor of bone on its way to your face. In Bell's palsy, that nerve becomes inflamed and swollen — usually related to a viral infection. Besides facial muscles, the nerve affects tears, saliva, taste and a small bone in the middle of your ear.

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy or facial palsy come on suddenly and may include:

• Rapid onset of mild weakness to total paralysis on one side of your face — occurring within hours to days
• Facial droop and difficulty making facial expressions, such as closing your eye or smiling
• Drooling
• Pain around the jaw or in or behind your ear on the affected side
• Increased sensitivity to sound on the affected side
• Headache
• A loss of tasteChanges in the amount of tears and saliva you produce
• Changes in the amount of tears and saliva you produce
• Difficulty in eating and drinking
• An inability to make facial expressions, like smiling or frowning
• Facial weakness
• Muscle twitches within the face
• Dry eye and mouth
• Irritation of the attention on the involved side

In rare cases, Bell's palsy can affect the nerves on both sides of your face.

RISK FACTORS

Bell's palsy or facial palsy occurs more often in people who:

• Are pregnant, especially during the third trimester, or who are in the first week after giving birth
• Have an upper respiratory infection, such as the flu or a cold
• Have diabetes

Recurrent attacks of Bell's palsy are rare. But in some of these cases, there's a family history of recurrent attacks — suggesting a possible genetic predisposition to Bell's palsy.

COMPLICATIONS

A mild case of Bell's palsy or facial palsy normally disappears within a month. Recovery from a more severe case involving total paralysis varies. Complications may include:

• Irreversible damage to your facial nerve.
• Abnormal regrowth of nerve fibers. This may result in involuntary contraction of certain muscles when you're trying to move others (synkinesis) — for example, when you smile, the eye on the affected side may close.
• Partial or complete blindness of the eye that won't close due to excessive dryness and scratching of the clear protective covering of the eye (cornea).

PREVENTION

Currently, there isn’t any known way to prevent Bell’s palsy or facial palsy.

DIAGNOSIS

There's no specific test for Bell's palsy. Your doctor will look at your face and ask you to move your facial muscles by closing your eyes, lifting your brow, showing your teeth and frowning, among other movements.

Other conditions — such as a stroke, infections, Lyme disease and tumors — can cause facial muscle weakness that mimics Bell's palsy. If the cause of your symptoms isn't clear, your doctor may recommend other tests, including:

• Electromyography (EMG). This test can confirm the presence of nerve damage and determine its severity. An EMG measures the electrical activity of a muscle in response to stimulation and the nature and speed of the conduction of electrical impulses along a nerve.
• Imaging scans. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) may be needed on occasion to rule out other possible sources of pressure on the facial nerve, such as a tumor or skull fracture.

TREATMENT

In most cases, Bell’s palsy symptoms recover without any treatment. However, it might also take several weeks, months or even years for the muscles in the face to regain their normal strength. The following treatments may help in your recovery, it might also provide cure and relief.

• Medication : Corticosteroid drugs, which reduce inflammation. Antiviral or antibacterial medication, which may be prescribed if a plague or bacteria has caused your Bell’s palsy. Over-the-counter pain medications, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, which can help relieve mild pain
• Eye drops and an eye patch (for your dry eye). Placing a warm, moist towel over your face to alleviate pain. Facial massage and physical therapy exercises act as one of the best remedies to stimulate your facial muscles

If you have tumors or nasal polyps in your nasal passages or sinuses that are keeping mucus from draining out, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove them.

Home Treatments

Most patients make a full recovery within a short span of time. The patients who may have more serious nerve damage, might require further treatment. This may include:

• Mime therapy : This is often a sort of physiotherapy. The patient would be taught a series of exercises that strengthens the facial muscles. This usually leads to better coordination and a wider range of movement
• Plastic surgery : This will improve the looks and symmetry of the face. Some patients experience enormous benefits if they're able to smile again. However it doesn't cure the nerve problem
• Botox : Botox injections within the affected side of the face can relax tight facial muscles and reduce any unwanted muscle contractions.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Home treatment may include:

• Protecting the eye you can't close. Using lubricating eye drops during the day and an eye ointment at night will help keep your eye moist. Wearing glasses or goggles during the day and an eye patch at night can protect your eye from getting poked or scratched.
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may help ease your pain.
• Doing your physical therapy exercises. Massaging and exercising your face according to your physical therapist's advice may help relax your facial muscles

EFFECTIVENESS OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT

Acupuncture, as a typical Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy that has persisted throughout history, can effectively treat facial paralysis. Acupuncture reverses facial paralysis caused due to Bell’s Palsy. Researchers prove that acupuncture is an efficient treatment for infranuclear facial paralysis that affects the facial (cranial nerve VII). The scientists have noted that modern Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) sources indicate that Bell’s Palsy involves inflammation of nerves which affects regions of the stylomastoid foramen and causes facial channel obstruction.

MECHANISM OF ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is a traditional therapy that supports the thought of energetics within the body.

• Treatment consists of inserting needles at various pressure points on the body and through the skin. Needles aren't meant to cause pain, harm or discomfort
• A professional acupuncturist would target energy (or “qi” in Chinese medicine) acupuncture points for treatment. These also are termed as meridians, with some being of special benefit to painful nerves and muscles
• By stimulating these points, parts of the systema nervosum also are stimulated to alleviate pain. Acupuncture also can provide pain relief from other similar neurological issues that there might not be too many pain remedy options
• Acupuncture treatment principles are to dredge the channels, expel external pernicious influences and to reinforce blood circulation. A macroscopic TCM view indicates that localized stimulation of facial muscles using acupuncture promotes recovery
• Acupuncture restores normal movement to facial muscles for patients with Bell’s Palsy and other kinds of infranuclear facial paralysis that helps to cure facial palsy
• Acupuncture is known to plug effective functioning of the nervous system and stop stress (which may exacerbate Bell’s Palsy). For ages acupuncture has been said to assist in Bell’s Palsy remedy by addressing an underlying deficiency in qi (one’s inherent energy). Through treatment, qi is invigorated as blood circulation gets improvised in the face
• Acupuncture is now considered a mainstream option for several medical conditions and is proving to be efficient as well as effective in treating and managing Bell’s Palsy. Studies have shown that acupuncture might provide up 80-90% improvement rates and it acts as a best remedy, even for those patients experiencing chronic Bell’s Palsy and facial paralysis

BEST CURE FOR BELL’S PALSY OR FACIAL PALSY

Looking for a best remedy to treat Bell’s palsy or facial palsy in Chennai, here’s why you should reach out to the best Acupuncturist Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath from Dr.Bharath’s AcuHeal. He is currently treating patients for a wide range of conditions. As a certified acupuncture practitioner with 15 years of experience, with vast knowledge on neurology and having worked with several neurologists and otolaryngologists, Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath has seen Acupuncture doing wonders on people suffering from facial palsy and it is considered as the best alternative treatment. The effectiveness rate increases several times just with one course of Acupuncture and it can help alleviate the symptoms, reduce pain and increase the rate of curing facial palsy, helping patients get back to their normal routine, by evaluating your condition and offering permanent treatment. Most of the people swear by acupuncture, citing it as a ‘miracle’ in improving their quality of life, that focuses on treating facial palsy, which allows you to live a hassle free healthy life. Dial: +91 9884746916 or Visit: drbharathsacuheal.com for more details on treating facial palsy using Acupuncture, contact the top acupuncture clinic in chennai.

BEST ACUPUNCTURE DOCTOR NEAR ME

To choose the Best doctor for Acupuncture, it's important that the Acupuncturist should have a decade of experience and treated at least 1000 to 2000 patients.

You can also search for the Best Acupuncture Doctor near me or ask your primary care physician to refer an experienced Acupuncturist nearby. Once you find the Best Acupuncture Doctor in Chennai, you may go through their google reviews first and then fix an appointment with the doctor only when you are satisfied with the reviews.

The Best Acupuncture Doctor should address your concerns and help you feel more comfortable before your first session. Acupuncture usually takes numerous sessions or several weeks to get a complete cure in any ailment but within 3 or 4 sessions the patients will experience positive differences.

BEST ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC NEAR ME

There are numerous clinics popping up and it is sometimes skeptical to choose the best or even the safe one. To address such concerns, you can look into the following points to choose the best acupuncture clinic for treating bell’s palsy or facial palsy. Acupuncture is also offered in hospital, pain clinics and by healthcare organizations but it is ideal to visit the best Acupuncture Clinic. If you are not sure, it would be a good idea to contact your local doctor to see if they would be prepared to refer to the best rated acupuncture clinics.Acupuncture is offered in top rated acupuncture clinics near me because conventional treatment has failed or produces unacceptable side effects. Most of the best acupuncture clinics will spell out very clearly what type of acupuncture they practice and how professional they are - at present anyone can set themselves up as an acupuncturist but reputable practitioners will belong to an organization. So while you are filtering the best clinics for acupuncture that treats bell’s palsy or facial palsy, you can look out for these factors.Treatment without drugs for bell’s palsy or facial palsy is possible through acupuncture and it gives the best result.

We have been rewarded a 5-star rating from Google & Practo. You can also check the reviews there.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The recovery time may vary depending on the severity of nerve damage. In general, however, people can see an improvement within two weeks after the initial onset of symptoms. Most will completely recover within three to six months, but it may be longer for people with more severe cases of Bell’s palsy. In rare cases, symptoms may continue to return or may be permanent.

Dial +91 9884746916 or Visit: drbharathsacuheal.com immediately if you’re showing any signs of Bell’s palsy. Acupuncture treatment can help speed up your recovery time and prevent any complications.

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES:

• iang YB, Feng Y. (2014). Therapeutic Effect of Special Acupuncture in the Treatment of Facial palsy. JCAM. 30(1).
• Ikeda M, Abiko Y, Kukimoto N, Omori H, Nakazato H, Ikeda K. Clinical factors that influence the prognosis of facial nerve paralysis and the magnitudes of influence. Laryngoscope. 2005 May;115(5):855-60.
• Terzis JK, Konofaos P. Nerve transfers in facial palsy. Facial Plast Surg. 2008 May;24(2):177-93.

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Want to know more about the best acupuncture treatment for facial swelling. Talk to our online licensed acupuncturist to know more about the benefits of acupuncture.

FAQ:

What are the services provided for Bells or facial palsy by Dr. Bharath’s Acu Heal?

Acupuncture treatment will be given based on the disease’s chronicity and acuteness. The Acupuncturist can understand the condition of the disease only after a thorough investigation by pulse and tongue diagnosis. In the first few sessions, there will be a positive change in the symptoms and after several sessions, there will be a 90% to 100% chance that the patient will get cured of the Bells or Facial Palsy. Simultaneously the patient will be advised on a diet with food restrictions like exercise regime which includes an induced sound sleep that plays a vital role in reversing the disease.

What are the benefits of acupuncture for Bells or facial palsy?

This is a drugless therapy and there are no side effects. After completing the course of treatment any form of medication can be stopped

How many sessions do you need for Bells or facial palsy?

It depends upon the severity of the disease. Generally, it takes 30 to 40 sessions in a period of 4 to 5 months to get cured.