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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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  • beheshta07944
    beheshta07944

    Posted

    I did my first acupuncture treatment today, and it was really relaxing! I don’t feel a significant difference but my eye has been twitching! I’m scheduled for a couple more sessions and let you know how it goes 
    • alexis02700
      alexis02700 beheshta07944

      Posted

      That’s great you found it relaxing. It helps to ease the stress which Bell’s palsy causes. As for acupuncture, I did not feel any difference during my first session either. See if the acupuncturist offers electro stimulation acupuncture. I could feel my face moving as if it were back to normal. This was only temporary but gave me a big boost of confidence. I’d say it will take at least 2-3 weeks before you see any real improvement of the facial muscles. I haven’t read much of anyone having quicker results.
    • beheshta07944
      beheshta07944 alexis02700

      Posted

      How does electro simulation work exactly? Did it hurt? I’ll definitely ask about that tomorrow during my appointment 
  • beheshta07944
    beheshta07944

    Posted

    just wanted to thank everyone for sharing your advice and experiences with me, I was really distressed about this, but today my face looks more normal (eye closed a little) and I can slightly move the inner corner of my mouth. Its been a week and im so excited that im seeing changes, I feel excited for the beginining of recovery. Im going in for the second round of acupunture tomorrow and ill let you know how it goes!
    • alexis02700
      alexis02700 beheshta07944

      Posted

      That’s great news! When you’ve started recovering a lot of the times people cannot tell you have Bell’s palsy unless you talk or smile. The face will look normal.

      As for electro stimulation, the acupuncturist will hook up wires to the needles. It does not hurt at all. It will feel like muscle twitching. I could really feel movement like normal during those sessions though it was only temporary I believe it really helped

  • Heidikg22
    Heidikg22 beheshta07944

    Posted

    Ahh brilliant I am glad you are on the toad to recovery and starting to improve. It does make a massive difference when it starts to come back you feel a whole lot better. Sounds like whatever you are doing you are doing it right 
  • beheshta07944
    beheshta07944

    Posted

    I just got done with second round of acupuncture and while my face is looking more normal, everything hurts!! it feels like I got punched and now I can finally feel the pain, my face feels extremely sensitive and bruised when I touch it which is new. I finished my presnidone and took some aspirin as I can’t handle this pain anymore.  Any tips for pain?? 

    • alexis02700
      alexis02700 beheshta07944

      Posted

      Where is the pain? I didn’t have nerve pain until a few days in. Maybe day 4 or 5. 

      Your GP may be able to prescribe you meds for nerve pain. Gabapentin is pretty standard. It did not work for me. I just dealt with the pain. Warm compresses helped ease the pain but was still achey. I had pain in my cheek for months after I healed but the nerve pain subsided when I got closer to being fully recovered.

      I’d recommend sticking with ibuprofen but ask you doctor. They may prescribe something else. Are you able to close your eye yet? Is mouth still off?

    • beheshta07944
      beheshta07944 alexis02700

      Posted

      It’s been a little over a week, it started last thursday, hit the peak last weekend and then kind of went down, now these past couple days i’ve been feeling like I can move my face a little more, but I have this pain now which is just soreness, like if i press on my face it makes me wince, maybe it’s because i finished the presnidone, but anyways i’ve been taking advil and it kind of eases it.

        My eye looks more normal, still won’t blink on it’s own though, and I can make a tiny smile without teeth, which I am thankful for, as I was feeling really self conscious.  

      I think i’m going to stick with advil and heat compress and wait this thing out. 

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