Bell’s Palsy is named after Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, who first described it. The word Palsy is used when a nerve is not working. Bell’s palsy is a kind of facial paralysis. This is caused as a result of dysfunction of the facial nerve. The main feature of this condition is that a patient is not able to control the facial muscles of the affected side.
It occurs most commonly in people aged 15 to 45 years. It can also affect children and the elderly.
Causes of Bell’s Palsy
- Brain tumor
- Lyme disease
- Myasthenia gravis
- Stroke
- Varicella-zoster virus and Epstein-Barr viruses can be one of the cause
- Viral infection mainly Herpes simplex
Sometimes no specific cause (which is often idiopathic). It is said to be self-limiting. The main symptom of this condition is that it occurs rapidly and is either complete or incomplete paralysis
and it can occur overnight. Sometimes total facial paralysis can also be seen.
Symptoms of Bell’s Palsy
- When a person wakes up in the morning, he notices that one side of the face does not move.
- Changes in sense of taste
- Changes in the number of tears the eye produces
- Difficult or at times it is impossible to close one of the eyelids
- Difficulty in balancing the body
- Difficulty in blinking the eyes
- Difficulty in memory
- Difficulty in smiling, raising their eyebrows, or chewing food
- Difficulty with facial expressions
- Drooling from one side of the mouth
- Drooping of face
- Dryness of eye
- Face feels heavy
- Facial tingling
- Forehead muscles are often affected
- Irritation in the eye, as it does not blink
- Loss of taste
- Moderate or severe headache
- Neck pain
- Pain in front or behind the ear on the affected side
- Saliva production of mouth changes
- Sensitivity towards the sound. Sounds seem louder
- Weakness and loss of sensation in limbs
How to find that a person is suffering from Bell’s palsy?
- Corner of mouth droops
- The disappearance of facial creases which is naturally present
- The disappearance of nasolabial fold (prominent on both sides of the nose)
- Eye irritation
- Eyelids will not close, if attempted for closure, the eye rolls upward
- Feeling of numbness
- Food and saliva can go out of the mouth from the corner of the affected side
- If the eye cannot close properly, it is necessary to lubricate the eyes by use of eye drops
- In many cases, no treatment is necessary This condition usually resolves by itself with time, but at times this condition may take many months
- It is seen that if left untreated, most patients will show at least partial recovery within 3 weeks of onset
- The patch may be necessary to protect the eye, especially at night
- The patient complained of weakness or complete paralysis of all the muscles on one side of the face
- Sagging of lower lid
Medicinal management of Bell’s Palsy
In homeopathy, there are certain medicines available that can help in Bell’s Palsy without any side effects.
1- Hypericum
It is one of the great remedies which are used when there are injuries to nerves. It is given when a patient has excessive pain. The patient also feels spasms after every injury. It is given in various conditions like Tetanus, Neuritis (Pain along nerves) associated with tingling, burning, and numbness. It is a good remedy for Facial neuralgia, with pain along the face and toothache with pulling and tearing feeling. These symptoms are associated with sadness. It can also be given when a patient has pain in the eyes and ears. This is a remedy that is to be given post-injury. This remedy is to be given when the right side of the face is affected and pain is felt on the right side. Sometimes the sensation of crawling in the hands and feet is also felt.
Dosage-1M 3 pellets 3 times a day a the interval of 1 hour, then take it two times from the next day for 5 days with less frequency as improvement is made.
2- Ignatia
This remedy is best suited for women who are sensitive, having a dark complexion, very mild in nature, easily understand everything, and do anything very quickly. They are worse from drinking coffee. Cannot bear tobacco. She has a very changeable mood, a very sad mood, and often tearful. She is very noncommunicative. It is given when the patient feels the twitching of muscles of the face and lips. Spasm of lids is also seen. It is a very good remedy when patients feel pain along nerves around the eyes. It can also be given when the patient complains of a sour taste in mouth and mouth is constantly full of saliva. She easily bites the inside of her cheeks.
Dosage-200c is taken every twelve hours for three doses for 5 days.
3- Cadmium Sulph
It is given for conditions with great weakness. The patient has vertigo in the room and the bed seems to spin around. It is given in cases when a patient has Bell’s palsy after apoplexy( It is a condition where the patient has sudden difficulty in functioning of nerves due to any disorder which is associated with narrowing and occlusion of arteries of the brain.) It is given when a patient has facial paralysis mainly on the left side. The patient also suffers distortion of the mouth. It is given when a patient has difficulty in swallowing and intense nausea with pain and coldness.
Dosage-30 4 pellets 2 times a day for 10 days with less frequency as improvement is made.
4- Bacillinum
This remedy is suited to old people, with diseases of the lungs such as attacks of suffocation at night with difficulty cough. This remedy should be given when a patient suffers from Bell’s palsy due to eruptions on the face. When these eruptions are suppressed due to any reason, they may cause this condition. Suppression of these eruptions affects the nerve in the face.
Dosage-200 4 pellets 2 times a day for 15 days with less frequency as improvement is made
5- Causticum
It is suited to dark complexion persons who are restless at night. Children are slow to walk. The skin of this patient is dirty, white with warts on the face. It is given when a patient has facial paralysis of the right side. Pain is felt in facial bones. It can be given when a patient has pain in the jaws with difficulty in opening the mouth. It can also be given when the patient feels an empty sensation between the forehead and brain. It can be given when a patient has paralysis of the tongue with indistinct speech.
Dosage- 200 4 pellets 2 times a day for 10 days with less frequency as improvement is made
6- Aconite
This remedy is associated with great mental and physical restlessness. It is given when the face is red, hot, flushed, and swollen. Along with this patient has one cheek red, and the other pale. It is given when a patient who has a red face suddenly his face becomes deathly pale or rising from bed. Along with pain there is tingling in cheeks with numbness and pain is seen on the left side of the face. Along with these complaints, the patient has restlessness, tingling, and loss of sensation on the face. This remedy can also be given when a patient has pain in the jaws.
Dosage- 200 4 pellets 2 times a day for 10 days with less frequency as improvement is made.