Bells palsy is a condition in which the muscles on one side of your face become weak or paralyzed. It affects only one side of the face at a time, causing it to droop or become stiff on that side, often the eye is affected as well. It’s caused by some form of trauma (physical,chemical, or emotional stress) to the seventh cranial nerve which is also called the facial nerve.

Some signs and symptoms of Bell’s palsy include:

• drooling
• difficulty eating and drinking
• an inability to make facial expressions, such as smiling or frowning
• facial weakness
• muscle twitches in the face
• dry eye and mouth
• headache
• sensitivity to sound
• irritation of the eye on the involved side

Call a doctor immediately if you develop any of these symptoms because you should never self-diagnose Bell’s palsy. The symptoms can be similar to those of other serious conditions, such as a stroke.

With treatment, most individuals begin to get better within 2 weeks after the initial onset of symptoms and most recover completely, returning to normal function within 3 to 6 months. For some however, the symptoms may last longer. Rarely, the symptoms never fully disappear. The trend we keep running into, is that medical doctors are unsure of the exact mechanism that cures Bells and therefore treat the condition with a “Wait and See” protocol. Acupuncture has emerged as an alternative therapy for Bell’s palsy in both adults and children. Several studies have been done on the relationship between acupuncture and Bells Palsy. Acupuncture has been found to reverse facial paralysis due to Bell’s Palsy. One treatment protocol achieved a 98% total effective rate and the other acupuncture protocol achieved a 90.7% total effective rate. Based on the data of those studies, acupuncture is recommended for the treatment of facial paralysis due to Bell’s Palsy. Chiropractic also has good results with both helping rid the symptoms as well as the prevention of Bells Palsy returning by making sure the nervous system and cranial nerves are functioning to their best ability. If you or someone you know has Bells Palsy call today to book an appointment with us at 515-278-9678