Bell's Palsy recovery and residual effects
Posted , 15 users are following.
Bell's Palsy is more common than people think, I suffered from it in January 2015, I woke up to a face that didn't work on the left side. After doing some stroke tests on myself I was confident I had Bell's Palsy. I went to hospital and was prescribed the typical treatment of steroids.
3 weeks later and I had full control of my face again. However I know that being able to move my face did not mean I had fully recovered.
Recovery
Recovery from Bell's Palsy can take months, depending on the severity of the nerve damage. My full recovery took 7 weeks (relatively fast) I know people who have taken 2 months to regain movement.
After you regain movement there are a few things you can do to speed up the recovery process.
Apply a fairly warm compress to the effected side, focus on the area behind your ear and side of the face. Use gentle massage to stimulate the nerves.
Reoccurring attacks are more likely during the recovery process so be sure to stay on the prescribed treatment until you have regained movement for at least 2 weeks.
Residual effects
For those who have had Bell's Palsy the aftereffects can be mild to severe.
In most cases the common problems that follow are twitching and localised weakness (this may come and go) in some cases you may get synkinesis where you involuntary move one part of you face whil meaning to move another foe example, when you smile your eyebrow may move.
Some may get anxiety towards bell's in a way that any twitching or weakness will depress and put the sufferer into a panic, calling for a doctor immediately.
Rest assured that Bell's Palsy is very common and the chance of a reoccurrence is slim, most sufferers will have to deal with Palsy once and only once however if there is going to be a reoccurrence most will get the next attack in 5-10 years of the first.
You can also experience phantom Palsy (not medically named) where past sufferers will cause weakness in the face due to constantly moving it to check if the illness has returned.
1 like, 41 replies
naomi90542 DoctorMark
Posted
sharon24495 naomi90542
Posted
DoctorMark naomi90542
Posted
When I had Bell's I was still going to work and performing my daily tasks at the practice. Some of my patients said they had, or knew someone that had Bell's and many years after recovery they still get some form of twitching or weakness. I get weakness when I shave using cold water, my lips still twitch and face still rumbles. The nerve cluster that was affected during my time with bell's palsy still acts up to this day. If I lay on my right side I can actually hear a vibration in my left ear right near the eardrum. It's annoying but all in all its a good sign. It means the nerves have regenerated and there are some odd connections that cause the nerve to jump. The twitching lip I this is actually rather fun. The first few times are creepy but once you find the trigger you can avoid it. Unless it's eating like it is for me... twitching, numbness, slurring are very common things to have after bell's palsy. If it comes back the second time will usually be a lot worse as in it will start faster and last longer. If you can.. try to keep your face as warm as possible during this cold weather and I know I have said it a million times but watch the sugar, drop the caffeine and look into a vitamin B6 supplement.
Hope this helps.
Mark
naomi90542 sharon24495
Posted
I would say after about 3 months my face was 90% back to normal and now after 3 years about 95% normal. I notice small things but no one else does. When I first wake up in ththe morning i always worry it’s happened again and when I get a cold my left side goes more tingly.
naomi90542 DoctorMark
Posted
Thank you so much for the information, I was starting to panic that it was something more serious as I also get a weird vibration feeling when i lay in my left side! I think it was triggered by a red bull which I had - I never drink the stuff but was very tired and the coffee didn’t work so I think I’ll stay away from that from now on! I’ll get some B6 vitamins as well and keep my face warm (definitely goes numb in the cold). BP can be very scary and long term worries with associated aches and sensations are worrying so this thread is great! Thanks again
Naomi
DoctorMark naomi90542
Posted
Glad I could help. The damage caused by bell's palsy lasts for a lifetime. You can expect twitching, nerve vibrations and localised tingly spots. When you find the triggers for the twitches you can easily get on top of them.
Mark
sharon24495 DoctorMark
Posted
You say bell's has side effects for years. How about these people that say they recovered completely in weeks. When the nerves didn't reconnect at all like me, do I have to massage my facial muscles forever? Forehead, mouth, chin?
DoctorMark sharon24495
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Massage is in no way a fix or does it really provide any form of treatment. Massage make you feel better. Bell's is not caused by stress, stress can be a contributor to the underlying cause that caused the paralysis. In my personal opinion I would say that nobody fully recovers. Bell's Palsy is a case of the hole being too small. When the 7th stem swells it will always cause damage to the corresponding nerves. Long term sufferers can get surgery to correct the issue but after a certain amount of time the effects unfortunately become permanent. 12 months is about the normal for the paralysis to become irreversible. However I did have a patient about 7 months ago who had bell's for 6 years and got the surgery... he just wanted to try to see the results and after 2 weeks he regained some function on his right side. So there are some cases where the pressure has been light enough for the effects to be reversed.
donna07054 DoctorMark
Posted
Stress adds to my issues , I know that it s a virus , 7 th cranial nerve it happens to, but if massages work to get my face from swelling it's good, everyone has to find what works for them, after 5 years I know it's never going away, my eye is also a bit smaller and loud pitch noises bother my ear, I have to talk for a living so the massages do help , fatigue I'm always tired, is this also a side effect?
Guest DoctorMark
Posted
I got Bells Palsy in March, after a particularly stressful period. I had been suffering from migraines the ten days previously, and on the day of the paralysis was feeling terrible. Anyway a trip to A&E, a check it wasn't stroke, two wasted days in hospital and I was released with some steriods. Other than my eye not being able to close and looking like popeye to be honest it didn't seem to affect me, and within three weeks I was back to 'normal' - except.... well my health hasn't been great since then. I am extremely fatigued to the point that getting up in the morning is a battle and I feel like I am walking through sludge all day. I get nausea regularly, and if not for my age and precautions would argue that I had the signs of early pregnancy. I have been wondering if it is linked to my age and women's problems, and my doctor has put me on a mild dose of anti-depressants due to a number of family bereavements at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. But the issues are Physical not Mental (other than I suffer from brain fog from being so fatigued)
I have muscle weakness on my right shoulder (the side I had the Palsy) and have had to have some physio because it was so painful. So I am wondering whether the Fatigue and nausea is a residue symptom? In myself I don't think my personal circumstances are the root, but it could be hormonal imbalances... My bloods are all 'normal' but I haven't felt 'normal' for months - I crave normal. Any ideas?
snehal28252 DoctorMark
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sir
sharon24495 snehal28252
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My Bells Palsy eye is alightly smaller than the other. I had plastic surgery to try open it a little more. It didn't help much. I actually had 2 surgeries on it.
barbara55746 DoctorMark
Posted
Hello,
What about contracture? I am experiencing contracture when I put a lot of pressure on my facial muscles (usually during a massage). Since experiencing it the first couple of times, I have been more gentle with my massages because it is scary. I am wondering if anyone has experienced this? Am I going to experience this even after the bell's palsy is gone?
Thank you
sharon24495 barbara55746
Posted
jayceevee40 DoctorMark
Posted
My re-occurrence came 14 years later on other side. First left, at age 64, now at 78 on right side. It started off pretty horrific but seems with the massager accompanied with castor oil and methyl B12 I'm improving quickly much more quickly. Granted, I still cannot close my right eye and mouth is drooping slightly but seems I'm at a standstill. Hoping it lasts.