Facial massages for bell palsy

Arun P Sharma. Arch Otolaryngol Print Share. Eligibility Criteria. People who have Bell's palsy may be unable to generate facial expression--their faces may look droopy on one side or asymmetrical. Finally, a doctor may refer the patient to an ear, nose and throat specialist and arrange for electromyography to detect the location and extent of the nerve damage. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Other symptoms may include pain or discomfort around the jaw and behind the ear, ringing in one or both ears, headache, loss of taste, hypersensitivity to sound on the affected side, impaired speech, dizziness, and difficulty eating or drinking. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. In the majority of cases, the symptoms will disappear within a few months at most. Other therapies such as physical therapy, facial massage or acupuncture may provide a potential small improvement in facial nerve function and pain. A magnetic resonance imaging MRI or computed tomography CT scan can eliminate other structural causes of pressure on the facial nerve. Email Address. A diagnosis of Bell's palsy is made based on clinical presentation -- including a distorted facial appearance and the inability to move muscles on the affected side of the face -- and by ruling out other possible causes of facial paralysis.

Subscribe to our newsletters. What is the prognosis? Bell's Palsy Fact Sheet. The weakness or paralysis can occur very suddenly or take place more gradually over the course of 48 hours.