Bell's Palsy & Acupunture

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Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 Time: 3:49 PM
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Bell's palsy

Bell's palsy is a form of facial paralysis resulting from damage to
the VII (facial) cranial nerve. This nerve disorder afflicts
approximately 40,000 Americans each year. It can strike almost
anyone at any age; however, it disproportionately attacks pregnant
women and people who have diabetes, influenza, a cold, or some other
upper respiratory ailment. In addition to one-sided facial paralysis
with possible inability to close the eye, symptoms of Bell's palsy
may include pain, tearing, drooling, hypersensitivity to sound in
the affected ear, and impairment of taste. The common cold sore
virus, herpes simplex, and other herpes viruses are the likely cause
of many cases of Bell's palsy.

In Western medicine, recent studies have shown that steroids are
probably effective and that the drug acyclovir combined with
prednisone is possibly effective in improving facial function. Other
treatments are usually aimed at protecting the eye from drying at
nighttime. Some physicians may prescribe a corticosteroid drug to
help reduce inflammation and an analgesic to relieve pain.

The prognosis for Bell's palsy is generally very good. With or
without treatment, most patients begin to get significantly better
within 2 weeks, and about 80 percent recover completely within 3
months. For some, however, the symptoms may last longer. In a few
cases, the symptoms may never completely disappear.

I have seen acupuncture get incredible results. Something I would
highly reccommend. Bell's Palsy is the most common disease of the
facial nerve. It is presumably due to an inflammatory reaction in or
around the facial nerve near the stylomastoid foramen. According to
Liu (1995), when acupuncture was initiated within three days post-
onset in 684 cases of facial nerve paralysis, 100 percent of the
patients were cured or there was a marked improvement (5). Other
studies (Gao, Chen, 1991) revealed that 80% of cases that were
treated at more than 2 months post-onset, and 83 percent of severe
cases, were cured or had excellent effect (6). Treatment, as with
this patient, may include numerous diagnostic procedures, different
classes of medications, lifestyle alterations, and still, continued
suffering. Acupuncture may often lead to significant clinical
improvement (7).


Andrew Pacholyk, LMT, MT-BC, CA
Peacefulmind.com
Therapies for healing
mind, body and spirit



REFERENCES
1. O'Connor J, Bensky D. Acupuncture a comprehensive text. Seattle:
Eastland Press 1981; 367-372.
2. Ibid, 609-610.
3. Stux G, Pomeranz B. Acupuncture textbook and atlas. Berlin:
Springer-Verlag 1987; 296.
4. Evans RA, Hames ML, Baguley DM, Moffat DA. Reliability of the
House and Brackmann grading system for facial palsy. J Laryngol Otol
Nov 1989; 103(11): 1045.
5. Liu YT. A new classification system and combined treatment method
for idiopathic facial nerve paralysis: report of 718 cases. Am JAcup
1995; 23(3),205-210.
6. Gao HB, Chen D. Clinical observation on 60 cases of peripheral
facial paralysis treated with acupointure penetration needling. Int
J Clin Acup 1991; 2(1),25-28.
7. NIH Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture, National
Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, Nov 1997; 93-109.

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Sat, 16 Jan 2010 at 9:26 AM, by Guest
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Still crowded?
When I lived in the midwest ,
I liked, like Snow Creek Ski and West Virginia Snow Ski

Have a good holiday

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 at 1:33 PM, by Guest
ups sorry delete plz .

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 at 9:50 PM, by Guest
Hi Road Trip People
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See you in the spring!.

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 at 12:40 PM, by Guest
ups sorry delete plz .

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 at 9:19 PM, by Guest
Anyone help with vacation advice?
Its freezing now, but in the spring, I am considering a Long Island Romantic Getaways .Not 1000% sure - It is too damn cold to go now, but in the April there are some really neatPlaces to visit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Until my financial situation improves, you can't beat the Places to Visit in Florida Off to start my road trip planner.

Cheers.