Bells palsy is characterized by facial paralysis on one side. The paralysis is usually proceeded by pain behind the ear that lasts for a few days. It happens quite suddenly. Usually the person will go to bed at night fine and wake up in the morning with the condition.
People with this condition experience paralysis or sometimes just weakness on one side of their face. The face will droop on the affected side and the expression will remain flat. If the upper part of the face is affected, you will be unable to blink your eye or it will be difficult to blink.
The first case of this disorder was diagnosed by Sir Charles Bell of Edinburgh, Scotland in 1882. Facial palsy can be caused by a tumor, stroke or Lyme disease. When all of these reasons are ruled out the diagnosis is Bell's Palsy. It is a form of unknown facial paralysis.
Doctor's are still unsure as to the cause, but know it has to do with the function of cranial nerve VII. They think that it could be an inflammatory condition that affects the nerve. Some believe that it could be because herpes virus HSV1 has infected that nerve. This is not agreed upon though.
About 80 percent of all people recover from Bell's Palsy in a few weeks or months. As many as 1 in 60 people will experience this disorder at some point in their lives.
Massage Therapy
Facial muscles attach to the skin allowing us to make many expressions. When these muscles are paralyzed, they begin to atrophy. Massage can be used to stimulate circulation in the face and maintain the health of the muscles.
Massage can also help encourage the muscles to move and ease the discomfort associated with Bells palsy. Acupuncture works well with this condition and can supplemented at home with acupressure techniques. Watch the video below for an example of acupressure techniques you can use.
