July 11, 2015

Treating Bell’s Palsy With Chinese Medicine

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Bell’s Palsy is a form of paralysis on one side of the face characterized by deviated mouth, difficulty blinking and closing the eye, frowning and or smiling. It results from the 7th cranial nerve being inflamed and often times onset is very acute and rapid. It is the result of an audio-immune system function failure, Epstein Barr, post-viral infection. It may also be caused by herpes simplex virus (shingles.)(1)

 

 

Often times, patients with Bell’s Palsy will wake up all of the sudden and they can’t close their eyelids fully and start drooling or they start to feel numbness of one side of the face accompanied with headaches and dizziness. Patients usually rush to the emergency room or go to their local GP to rule out any possibility of stroke and neurological function failure. They are then often sent home with steroids or told “it will just go away on its own.” Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. This article will talk about 3 things you can do for Facial palsy using Chinese Medicine:

Acupuncture
1) The first thing that you should do for Bell’s Palsy is to see a licensed acupuncturist. What acupuncture does is it promote the body’s healing process and reduces the inflammation around the facial nerve. Acupuncture also works to improve the blood circulation in the area locally. Going through something like Bell’s palsy can be quite stressful and scary for some people. What acupuncture does is also releases endorphins which act as a natural pain reliever and has a calming effect.

Avoid Wind
2) Keep your face covered and avoid any air conditioned rooms, winds or cold drafts. According to Chinese medicine Bell’s Palsy is caused by “wind.” Often times patients report having slept with the window open or riding a motor cycle under heavy wind before waking up the next morning with facial palsy. To prevent the symptoms from getting worse keep the affected side of the face covered and away from cold drafts or air conditioned places.

Herbal Medicine 

3) In Chinese Medicine, Bell’s Palsy is termed “External Wind-Cold attacking the channels of the face”.  China, herbs have been used for thousands of years to assist in Bell’s Palsy recovery, and the initial treatment goal according to TCM would be to expel Wind and promote blood circulation to the face. Herbal remedies can help soothe the patient, expedite the paralysis from dissipating, and enhance nerve function.

 

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Bob Wong was raised in a traditional Chinese medicine family and moved to mainland China to study and train for almost a decade. During that time, he was able to learn from some of the top acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners in at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. His mission is not bring that knowledge and experience to help his patients.

Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures at the Endeavour College of Natural Health. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule and appointment.

*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.

Special Offer

Initial Exam $47

Includes: Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis, Facial Grading Assessment

 Call Now