Clinical Information For the Treatment Of Bells Palsy
What Is Bells Palsy?
Bells Palsy - Basics
Bell's Palsy occurs when one of the two facial nerves in inflamed or damaged, and causes weakness or paralysis in the face. Symptoms of Bell's Palsy can appear suddenly and peak within 48 hours. Some of these symptoms include weakness, drooping of the eyelid or mouth, twitching, total paralysis, taste impairment and others. Bell's Palsy generally only affects one side of the face, however, rare cases exist in which both facial nerves have been damaged.
Below you will find alternative and natural treatment options including those from a Chinese Medicine perspective for Bell's Palsy.
What Patterns Are Related To Bells Palsy?
Bells Palsy - Diagnostic Patterns
The Chinese Medicine treatment of bells palsy generally involves arriving at the appropriate TCM diagnosis or pattern. This pattern within the individual is what treatment is based on not the general condition (see treating the cause and not the symptoms).
The following patterns may represent the underlying contributing factors for the development of bells palsy:
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Which Acupuncture Point Protocols May Be Applied For Bells Palsy?
Bells Palsy - Acupuncture Protocols
The treatment of conditions with acupuncture can be a complicated endeavor that should only be undertaken by individuals with a deep understanding of the underlying Chinese Medicine theory (and/or whatever system being used for treatment). There are many approaches, but generally speaking few viable approaches are involved on a point to condition basis. Rather using proper diagnostic procedures the patients diagnostic pattern is ascertained and that is what is treated. The protocols listed here exemplify some of these clinical approaches.
The following acupuncture treatment protocols may be used with bells palsy:
Which Tam Healing and Tongren Therapy Protocols Apply To Bells Palsy?
Bells Palsy - Tam Healing and Tongren Therapy Protocols
Tong Ren Therapy is the energy healing/medical qi gong aspect of the Tam Healing System. The areas of focus for bells palsy that we would use in Tong Ren techniques form the basis for our acupuncture treatments as well. Generally you would mix these primary points with points specific to the patients underlying TCM pattern and then our tuina (medical massage) would be largely focused on these points as well.
The following Tam healing and tong ren therapy protocols may be used with bells palsy:
9 Points Are Empirically Important For Bells Palsy
Formulas and Products @ Our Store Associated With Bells Palsy
The Following (3)Formulas TCM Herbal Formulas May Be Useful For Bells Palsy
Gui Zhi Tang Wan (Cinnamon Twig Decoction)
Clinical Usages
- Gan Mao (wind-cold) - Common cold or flu (or related illnesses, asthma, rhinitis, etc.) presenting with fever and chills (unrelieved by sweating), headache, aversion to wind, no desire for fluids, dry cough, sore throat.
- Frostbite.
- Pain from cold - may manifest in the joints, sciatic pain, neuralgia.
- Some skin conditions that are worse with cold and tend to be dry and itchy.
- Potentially useful post-partum (for colds or fevers) to strengthen the exterior (wei qi).
Clinical Categorization
Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Wan (Astragalus and Cinnamon Twig Five Herb Decoction)
Clinical Usages
- Common with blood deficient patterns for dispersing interior cold, xue bi, (blood painful obstruction), generally manifesting as numbness of the extremities. With the appropriate underlying patterns - shoulder pain, neck pain, knee pain.
- Diabetic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, polyneuropathy, conditions such as raynaud's with the right underlying factors, frostbite.
- Facial paralysis, post-stroke recovery.
- Restless leg syndrome.
- Certain cardiovascular issues, heart disease.
Clinical Categorization
Zhong Feng Hui Chun Wan (Stroke Recovery Pills)
Clinical Usages
- Bell's Palsy, facial paralysis, slurry of speech, difficulty swallowing.
- Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack.
Clinical Categorization
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Recent Questions From Our Forum...
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