Bell(’s)/facial palsy is a sudden onset, one-sided facial weakness/droop, most often due to a herpes virus infection, like the one causing cold sores. The seventh cranial nerve, which travels to the eye, cheek and mouth corners, may be damaged due infection, compression, inflammation, low blood flow (diabetes/hypertension) and/or demyelination (like MS). When the nerve is damaged, it can no longer send signals telling the facial muscles to contract, resulting in partial muscle paralysis when attempting to raise eyebrows, blink or smile.

The onset of upper and lower face paralysis is usually sudden and may be accompanied by ear pain, eye pain, decreased tearing, blurred vision, or tingling/numbness of the cheek or mouth.

The paralysis may completely resolve on its own, or there may be lingering affects that range from mild to severe. Some effects are cosmetic, but others can include trouble chewing (the mouth cannot fully close), severe eye dryness (the lid cannot close), loss of taste, or abnormal nerve changes producing uncontrolled facial tics.

While optimal Western therapy is still being investigated, most practitioners acutely use a combination of anti-viral medication (acyclovir, used for herpes infections) and prednisone to initially decrease inflammation around the nerve. The eye should be covered and protected from drying until the nerve function improves. There are numerous other local and neurological treatments for the after effects of the paralysis.^[1]

Bell palsy can respond extremely well to Neurological Scalp Acupuncture. Jason Hao, DOM, has reported facial palsy cases in his textbook.^[4]Even facial paralysis of years’ duration, combined with facial acupuncture points, and Chinese Herbal Medicine ^[2], may experience improvement.

Neurological Conditions Testimonials

Learn more about Facial/Bell Palsy

These brief overviews of conditions represent distillations of basic and current medical reviews from the following sources:

^[1]Conventional Medical Sources

“Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine: Volumes 1 and 2, 18th Edition”. Dan Longo Anthony Fauci, Dennis Kasper, Stephen Hauser, J. Jameson, Joseph Loscalzo. McGraw-Hill Professional; (July, 2011)

Medscape eMedicine Physician’s online resource. Various review articles:

Complex Regional Pain Syndromes Treatment & Management.
Anthony H Wheeler MD. Medscape Reference Chief Editor: Stephen A Beman, MD PhD MBA.

Essential Tremor
Deborah A Burke, MD Clinician, Sub-Investigator, Movement Disorder/Parkinson’s Disease Center, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Investigator, Physician, Roskamp Institute Memory Clinic

Bell Palsy
Danette C Taylor, DO, MS Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Senior Staff Neurologist, Henry Ford Health Systems

Meniere Disease (Idiopathic Endolymphatic Hydrops)
John C Li, MD Private Practice in Otology and Neurology; Medical Director, Balance Center

Restless Legs Syndrome
Ali M Bozorg, MD Assistant Professor, Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine

Postherpetic Neuralgia
W Alvin McElveen, MD Director, Stroke Unit, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center; Neurologist, Manatee Memorial Hospital

Sleep disorders
Roy H Lubit, MD, PhD Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Clinical Faculty, Department of Child Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine; Private Practice

Tinnitus
Aaron G Benson, MD Director, Ohio Hearing and Balance Institute, Maumee, Ohio; Consulting Staff, Toledo Ear, Nose and Throat, Inc

Multiple Sclerosis
Christopher Luzzio, MD Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin at Madison School of Medicine and Public Health

Parkinson Disease
Robert A Hauser, MD, MBA Professor of Neurology, Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Director, USF Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence, Byrd Institute, Clinical Chair, Signature Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, University of South Florida College of Medicine

Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders
William C Robertson Jr, MD Professor, Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Family Practice, Clinical Title Series, University of Kentucky College of Medicine

Post Concussive Syndrome
Roy H Lubit, MD, PhD Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Clinical Faculty, Department of Child Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine; Private Practice

Traumatic Brain Injury
Segun T Dawodu, MD, JD, MBA, LLM, FAAPMR, FAANEM Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Interventional Pain Medicine, Albany Medical College

Dizziness, Vertigo, Imbalance
Hesham M Samy, MD, PhD Head of Hearing and Balance Unit, Otolaryngology Department, Minia University, Egypt

CNS Causes of Vertigo
Marcelo B Antunes, MD Resident Physician, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Health System

Communication Disorders
Renee S Melfi, MD Consulting Staff, Orthopaedic Associates of Central New York

^{[2], [3]}

“Acupuncture Energetics: A Clinical Approach for Physicians”. Joseph M. Helms. Medical Acupuncture Publishers; 1st Edition. (1995)
“Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists”. Giovanni Maciocia. Churchill Livingstone; 2 Edition (July, 2005).
“Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide”. Giovanni Maciocia. Churchill Livingstone; 1st Edition (January, 2004).

Chinese Scalp Acupuncture”. Jason Ji-shun Hao, Linda Ling-zhi Hao and Honora Lee Wolfe. Blue Poppy Press; 1st Edition. (November, 2011)