Bell’s Palsy – Treatments, Procedures, and More

Bell’s palsy is a sudden muscle weakness on one side of the face causing the face to paralyze or become weak. The condition also causes one side of the face to droop and become stiff. The condition is generally temporary and limited to a few months. Here are some of the Bells’ palsy treatment options, procedure, and more. Read on.

What is the Right Treatment for Bell’s Palsy?
Bell’s palsy is chiefly caused due to the weakness of muscles. Some of the symptoms and signs such as difficulty in making different facial expressions, facial droop, changes in the amount of saliva and tears, pain behind the ears and jaw, and a decreasing ability to taste. It is important to consult a physician immediately if the signs become evident. This condition generally resolves on its own within a span of six months. Nevertheless, Bell’s palsy treatment will help in quicker recovery. Moreover, only in a few rare causes does the condition affect the nerves on both the sides of the face.

The Treatment Procedure
Doctors diagnosing the condition generally observe the movement of the face muscles such as frowning, closing the eyes and lifting the eyebrows. Patients might be asked to undergo tests such as undergoing scans and electromyography. These are the tests that confirm the severity of the condition and nerve damage. Bell’s palsy treatment generally involves medication such as anti-viral medicines and corticosteroids.

Corticosteroids are basically anti-inflammatory medicines that help reduce nerve inflammation. These should be taken immediately after the symptoms of Bell’s palsy are diagnosed. Another effective treatment is physiotherapy. This is needed because the paralyzed muscles might shorten and shrink, resulting in permanent contractures of the muscle. There are different exercises of the facial muscles, which help avoid Bell’s palsy. Occasionally, plastic surgery might also be recommended to correct facial nerve problems.

Recovery Time
The signs of Bell’s palsy generally improve within two weeks and might take three to six months to go away completely. However, recovery might take longer in people suffering from severe Bell’s palsy. Some people might experience facial sagging for a very long time mainly because of the weak facial muscles.

The condition might be severe is some cases but there are cases wherein the symptoms of the condition have gone away without any treatments.