PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR BELL’S PALSY By: Jeffrey Williams PT, Cert MDT

Bell’s palsy is a type of facial paralysis that causes drooping to one side.  It can also result in a loss of taste and reduced or increased production of saliva and tears.  It’s caused by damage to the seventh cranial nerve also known as the facial nerve that controls the muscles of the face.  Most people who are afflicted with this have no significant history to identify the reason for it.  It can occur rapidly and in most cases resolves on its own.  Inflammation of the facial nerve is suspected as being the primary cause but  viral infections may also be a cause.  Bell’s palsy affects up to 40,000 people a year.  Most of the affected people are between 20 to 40 years old.   

Symptoms of Bell’s Palsy

1. Sudden paralysis/weakness in one side of the face

2. Trouble chewing

3. Drooling 

4. Inability to completely close your eye

5. Irritation in the eye or excessive dryness

6. Drooping on the affected side

7. Decreased tear production leading to dryness

8. Muscle twitching

9. Decreased ability to taste

Potential Causes of Bell’s palsy

1. Cold sores and herpes simplex

2. Respiratory illnesses

3. Chickenpox and shingles

4. Measles/Mumps

5. Infectious mononucleosis

6. Diabetes 

TREATMENT

The exercises for Bell’s palsy is to recreate or retrain the brain-nerve-muscle pathway.  The patient must regain normal facial movements.  In some cases, the patient has to focus intently on restoring the proper motion sequence, usually through watching themselves do the exercises in a mirror or with help from a friend or family member.  Physical Therapy can help with this.  Exercises can help Bell’s palsy patients increase strength and coordinated movements in the face.  Without help these patients can have trouble with facial expressions such as smiling or frowning, eye movements, and jaw movements.  A physical therapist can show a patient how to perform exercises that they can then complete on their own at home.

The physical therapists at Advanced Rehabilitation can assist in reducing the discomfort Bell’s palsy creates.  It can also help reduce the time that people suffer from this.  Usually a combination of exercises, manual techniques and massage to the appropriate muscles can reduce current symptoms and shorten the time the patient suffers from this.  Nearly all of the exercises can be done independently at home by the patient.  In fact, this is crucial for the patient to see success.  If you know anyone who is suffering from this, have them give us a call to see if we can develop a custom exercise and treatment program to get you on the road to recovery.