Acupuncture for Bell's Palsy

  Acupuncture  for Bell's Palsy is a very effective treatment. It consists of a combination of local points on the face that disperse the wind cold stagnation in the channels that allows the virus to opportunistically reproduce, and that "chase the virus" out of the face by unblocking stagnation. It is often combined with moxabustion, a method that warms the channels and dramatically moves the Qi.

We use points on the hands and feet and legs, like Zu San Li and He Gu that are used to reduce the effects of stress on the nervous system, and to boost the immune system. Often Bell's Palsy occurs in the aftermath of a period of high stress that was followed by a common cold. Because the immune system is weak, the virus that causes Bell's Palsy can now opportunistically migrate through the nerves, which become inflamed, thus failing in their job of bringing information to the muscles, which as a result become paralyzed.


In my San Diego Acupuncture practice I have been treating Bell's Palsy successfully with a combination of Acupuncture to unblock the Qi stasis, warm the channels and boost the immune system, as well as to relax the sinews and help deal with the stress that weakened the immune system.



I combine acupuncture for Bell's Palsy with Chinese herbal formulas like Gui Zhi Tang and Huang Qi with Reishii mushroom, Cinnamon Twig combination with Astragalus and Reishii, to warm and regulate the channels and boost and strengthen the Qi.


Bell's Palsy is one of the cases where I am all for the combination of western treatment with natural medicine, because, in my book, whatever it takes to undo facial paralysis seems reasonable. Standard of care in western medicine is Prednisone to dramatically reduce the inflammation leading to the paralysis, and Acyclovir or Valtrex to kill the virus causing the inflammation.

I have had patients who even with that protocol did not get better until they added the Acupuncture and Chinese herbs. I think anyone with this problem will get better faster with Acupuncture, Chinese, and Western Medicine combined. It generally only takes 3 treatments to see dramatic improvement, sometimes there is dramatic improvement after only the first treatment, and rarely has it taken more than 6 treatments. I recommend trying 3 to start with and then evaluating how much its helping.



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Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With PermissionAyurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diegohttp://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com