Imagine waking up like any other day, feet shuffling as you make your way to the bathroom. You walk up to the sink to brush your teeth like you’ve done thousands of times prior. You look up at the mirror and half of your face is frozen in place. You try to smile, and instead of a “U” you see a sideways “S”.
In an almost frantic state, you reach for your phone and check webMD. “…No I don't have a severe headache… No I don’t smell burnt toast… No I don't have one sided weakness nor do I have one sided hypertonicity (spasm)… what the heck is wrong with my face?”
What is Bell’s Palsy
Mayo Clinic defines Bell’s Palsy as a sudden weakness in the facial muscles that causes half of the face to appear drooped. This causes smiles to be one sided, and makes it difficult to fully close ones eye. Other symptoms may include drooling, pain around jaw or being the ear of the afflicted side.
NOTE: Its important to make the distinction between both causes of facial paralysis, 1) bell’s palsy and 2) a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or a stroke. We here will be discussing Bell’s palsy specifically.
Now, we may not know exact cause what causes Bell’s Palsy, but the overall consensus is that its viral. Usually attributed to the Herpes Simplex (Cold Sores and genital herpes), and Hopers Zoster (Chicken Pox/Shingles).
“The nerve that controls facial muscles passes through a narrow corridor of bone on its way to the face. In Bell's palsy, that nerve becomes inflamed and swollen — usually related to a viral infection. Besides affecting facial muscles, the nerve affects tears, saliva, taste and a small bone in the middle of the ear.”
Now lets break it down from a TCM perspective.
Most patients reports the same symptoms during the run up to the morning they woke up with the drooping. Stressed or overworked, fatigue, slight chills, some get headaches; Generally, run down, and getting a cold. This is known as an External Cold Wind Invasion. I love the verbiage: an External Cold Wind Invasion. I picture a kingdom getting attacked during the fall or winter. Since both viral causes (Herpes Simplex, Herpes Zoster) are latent infections, I see it as a prisoner locked up in the kingdom. During the invasion, he prison guards are called the battle. Leaving the prisoner an opportunity to escape.
The Battle Plan
So if we follow the analogy, how do we fight back? 3 part battle plan:
Push the enemy out
First we have to address the invasion before it takes over the kingdom.
Restrain the escaped prisoner
Fortify the defenses: Prison and Wall
What’s Next?
Most patients experiencing these symptoms (specially for the first time) will go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care. This is actually a great first step, because it helps to rule out a stroke which can be a lot of stress off of a worried patient mind. That being said, with the right battle plan, the right practitioner, and the right timing, symptoms can subside within 4 visits.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, and have been discharged from the hospital, it may be time to call you local acupuncturist. If your in Ridgewood, Queens, I’ll be more than happy to help you on your recovery journey. Happy Fall, stay warm, and ill see you on the next blog.
