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bell’s palsy recovery with acupuncture?

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beheshta07944
beheshta07944

Hello, I’m 19 and I was diagnosed with bell’s palsy two days ago when my eye stopped blinking and these past days I can feel it’s hitting it’s peak, I can’t eat normally and my face is stiff on the left side. I read into it and it looks like acupuncture helps a lot of people if they start it immediately. Do you guys have any experience with acupuncture for treating bell’s palsy? I was prescribed presnidone for a week, should I go back and get more after i’m done with my medicine? I scheduled an appointment on tuesday for acupuncture which would be day 5 of my BP. is that too late? it’s the soonest they’ll take me. I am also taking b12 vitamins as I heard that helps. 

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  • claire28931
    claire28931 beheshta07944

    Posted

    Hi , sorry you have developed BP. I cannot comment on the acupuncture, as I never tried it. To begin with, I used hot compresses/ gentle massage to ease the symptoms, that and a lot of pain relief ... relax and rest as much as possible to aid recovery. I also recommend high potency vit B with a high amount of B6 and B12, Solgar are great or B100 Holland and Barret.

    re the steroids, I had a  max 10 day course, then no more, as apparently that is enough. I can’t advise, but maybe worth he king with your gp. I was also on antivirals as my BP was a result of facial shingles. (You do not say if there was a distinct cause).  

    At this stage, it is difficult for you, as it is emotionally draining and physically limiting. I hope you have a speedy recovery, but we all seem to get better at different rates. Some bounce out of it relatively quickly and others like me have long term issues, but I have now got my head around my difficulties and have a lot of support. 

    good luck!

  • alexis02700
    alexis02700 beheshta07944

    Posted

    Hi there, I had Bell’s palsy twice (age 17 and 24). There’s not much science that shows the steroids actually do anything. I don’t think it’s necessary. Both times I only went through one week of steroids. Do you have partial or complete paralysis?

    I tried acupuncture during my second episode on day 3. Acupuncture was quite relaxing and certainly helps ease your stress associated with Bell’s palsy. I didn’t feel or see any improvement during the first session. During the second session I could feel my face twitching. They also did the electrostimulus which I felt like my face was able to move. The effects were only during the acupuncture session though.

    During my first episode of Bell’s palsy (age 17) I did not do anything except take the steroids and antiviral was prescribed. Within 2.5 weeks I was healed - though it was a mild case.

    During second episode (age 24) I did everything under the sun to try to speed up the recovery process; steroids, antiviral, acupuncture w/electrostimulus and cupping, complete B vitamins, niacin, warm compresses, facial massaging etc.  Acupuncture was the only thing I saw the slightest improvement with though it did not last. It took about 5 weeks to heal. I’ve read that being young helps aid in recovery. Based on what I’ve read on this thread I am inclined to believe that as most people’s cases have lasted longer than both of mine. I wish you a speedy recovery and am happy to answer questions.

    • beheshta07944
      beheshta07944 alexis02700

      Posted

      Hi, thank you for telling me how it went for you, it feels good knowing other people who had this had a successful recovery, I’m on my 4th day now and I just feel a lot of pain and soreness on my jaw and ear. I just have paralysis on the left side of my face and mouth, can’t seem to eat without using my

      hands, I just feel self conscious and like people are staring at me, but I am hoping this will be gone soon. Sorry to hear you had it twice, is that common?

  • Heidikg22
    Heidikg22 beheshta07944

    Posted

    Hi I have had Bell’s palsy 3 times (currently got it now) I had acupuncture on my second time and think it was like 10 days after my treatment. It was my first time I ever had anything like that done before but I do believe it did help me. I looked completely different after two sessions and I kept getting mad twitchy sensations all over my face after. I’m going to go back hopefully this week (mine started Friday) the pain is unreal this time though I have an appointment with ENT tomorrow fingers crossed I get to the bottom of it 
    • beheshta07944
      beheshta07944 Heidikg22

      Posted

      Hi, i’m sorry to hear you got it a third time, i’m going through it right now too. I am going to do acupuncture tomorrow and the following days this week to see if it helps. I’m getting a lot of jaw/ear/ head pain. Is that common? wishing you a fast recovery. 
  • john89138
    john89138 beheshta07944

    Posted

    Hi

    I just experienced this terrible sickness Dec 17, 2017.

    There are a few things you must know. It will hopefully go away but I've read cases that takes longer than others. Mine took 28 days to fill muscle recovery but I still feel the effects in my main muscle.

    Yes get another dose of prednisone. I was only given 5 day supply from hospital but I went to urgent car and took another 2 7day dosages.

    As for acupuncture, be careful. Remember these muscles are just inflamed. If you irritate the muscle you can have permanent damage which you don't want.

    This sickness really sucks. Be patient.

    Keep your eye closed at night with tape and glasses during day.

    Be strong

    • beheshta07944
      beheshta07944 john89138

      Posted

      Thanks for your advice, i’m going to the best acupuncturist in my state, I just want to get better. I hate feeling like this. 
    • beheshta07944
      beheshta07944 john89138

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice. I just want to get better, I hate feeling like this. 
  • beheshta07944
    beheshta07944

    Posted

    It started with my face twitching a lot and losing my sense of taste, I thought I burned my tongue, then I woke up and couldn’t blink. How long did you guys take to be able to blink again? Also I have pain in my jaw and ear and fluttering feeling on my mouth and upper eyelash, are these signs of recovery? 
    • alexis02700
      alexis02700 beheshta07944

      Posted

      My doctor told me you’re only 7% likely to get Bell’s palsy a second time and 3% a third time. Not sure how accurate those numbers are but it’s not too common.

      My second episode I experience tremendous pain in my jaw, ear, and cheek. I took gabapentin (prescribed to treat nerve pain) it did not help at all. The warm compresses did though. I think the eye took the longest to heal and I think that’s been the case with most people on this forum. During my 2nd episode I created a thread and gave updates every 2-3 days with my progress. If you can find that thread you can see how long it took for me to get movement back. I’d say around week 4. As for the twitching, everyone says it’s a good sign of movement. I’ve have residual twitching for years after recovery. I’m not sure if anyone else on this forum has had that but mine is pretty regular uncontrollable eye twitching.

    • claire28931
      claire28931 beheshta07944

      Posted

      It took me 5 months to blink without me manually helping. I still have to think to blink, rather than a spontaneous action. But I never had the fluttering feeling you have with you eye lashes/ jaw, so that could be quite a positive sign ie nerve regeneration.

      it is really important to keep the eye lubricated. Hyloforte eye drops are very good, at night vitapos is a good thick gel with added vit A to help overnight. Taping the eye down at night is essential for sleep/ restoration. There are good tutorials on u tube to help you with this , they are posted by the Bells Palsy Clinic at Queen Victoria hospital , East Grinstead .  

      I too have a lot of jaw pain/ ear etc. If gabapentin doesn’t touch it there are other types of nerve pain medication to try, go back to gp. I found ibuprofen helped my pain in the day, also lots of rest. It really helps.

       

  • Heidikg22
    Heidikg22 beheshta07944

    Posted

    Warm compression is a good thing and try to keep your face warm so don’t expose it to cold weather etc.... ear, neck, facial pains are very common. The first time I had Bell’s palsy was when I was pregnant and the doctor said you have a ear and throat infection (I couldn’t feel it) but how I explained the pain was when you have an injection at the dentist and that nervy sensation it’s a really deep horrible ache. This time I started with neck pain and it travelled round to my jaw and right across the cheekbone. I even have tension or pulling headaches affecting the good side of my face. I find it’s usually the eye or upper side of the face that tends to heal the fasted and then my mouth follows suit. It’s awful and it will get better you just have to remember that you are poorly and you need to rest when you can. I don’t think stress does it any good it’s possibly the worst thing for it so I know it’s easier said than done but try to relax. I get what you mean when you said you think people are looking at you I feel like that too. It’s horrible when it’s your face that’s affected because it’s your face that faces the world. Just give it time acupuncture won’t do it any harm but deffo warm compresses. I never did any facial exercises first or second time as they can actually do more damage. Only so them if you have been told to do so by a professional. Good luck with your recovery I hope you get a full recovery 
    • alexis02700
      alexis02700 Heidikg22

      Posted

      I agree with Heidi. I did light massages to the affected side and I think it definitely did more harm then good. My cheek felt bruised for months after I healed.
    • beheshta07944
      beheshta07944 Heidikg22

      Posted

      thanks, I did hear about how massaging early on can affect your nerves negatively, so i’ve just been using warm compress and it helps ease the pain 
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