The condition known as Bell's palsy causes the muscles on one side of the face to abruptly weaken.The weakness usually goes away over the course of a few months and is mostly temporary.The lower face seems drooping as a result of the weakness and eye on the affected side has trouble closing.
Below are some suggested steps towards recovery from Bell’s palsy:
Consult a doctor without panicking: Go to the doctor right away and heed his or her advice. The first two to three days after the commencement of the illness are critical for future recovery, so begin taking the prescribed meds as soon as you can. The process of recuperation will begin here. Your neurologist will consider steroids and anti-viral.
Get plenty of rest: Refrain from going to work for at least a few days. Spend a lot of time resting and sleeping and avoid strenuous exercise. To combat the cause of paralysis and set up the healing process, the body needs all available resources. Do not anticipate quick recovery. No amount of medication or physical treatment will be able to "turn back" or "jump-start" the facial nerve all at once. Recovery takes at least 3 to 4 weeks and happens gradually.
Avoid letting the eye dry out: Use specialised artificial tear drops few times in a day. When outside, wear (sun-) glasses to shield your cornea from wind and dust.
Get "Neurological Tests": To learn how to undergo these neurological tests, see our in-depth page. Make NCS (nerve conduction study) appointment in consultation with neurologist. The grade of the initial nerve injury will be gauged by clinical execution and NCS. NCS will demonstrate advancement in the nerve's reconnection to the face muscles if they are repeated later. In some cases, MRI of the brain will be required.
Gently massage your face: Give your face, neck, and head a very gentle, pleasant massage for 10 to 15 minutes each, at least twice a day. So as not to tug the skin too much, dab a few drops of massage oil on the face. The blood and lymph circulation will be improved by the massage, which quickens the process of nerve regeneration.
Consult physiotherapist: Physiotherapist will plan for sessions of facial physiotherapy and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to help recovery from facial weakness.
Learn more about Bell's palsy: With further information and explanations regarding what happens during Bell's palsy and what to anticipate from the recovery, we have produced a special film. The importance of knowledge cannot be overstated. You can maintain your composure and optimism throughout the healing process. The emotions and psychological health might be severely and negatively impacted by Bell's palsy. Having knowledge can help you prevent that.
Be patient: Don't let the slow Improvement demotivate you. It could take up to 2-3 months before you notice the initial movements if the nerve damage was extensive (especially if the herpes virus was to blame). The cut lawn rule states that after cutting the grass, it will only regrow as quickly as the laws of nature permit. Under ideal conditions, our facial nerve can regenerate at a rate of 1mm every day. The nerve may need to recover up to 60mm or more, which is at least 60 days, depending on the extent of the damage. Drugs cannot hasten this process; the body can only mend at its fastest rate when it is in a healthy state.
Stay positive: Do not worry about the future. There is a chance that you will experience some of the long-term Bell's palsy complications, such as synkinesis, facial asymmetry during speech and emotion, tightness of the facial muscles, facial pain, and fatigue, within 2-4 months if the full spontaneous recovery did not take place within 3-5 weeks. The Neuro-Proprioceptive Rehabilitation approach can reverse them.
