Facial paralysis: A self-healing condition
>> Monday, December 31, 2012 –
Article,
Face Paralysis
An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on December 31, 2012
Bell’s palsy is often known as a facial paralysis. It portrays weakness of facial muscles on one side. The name Bell’s palsy comes from Sir Charles Bell who first detailed a condition that causes paralysis of the facial muscle.
Bell’s palsy occurrence is very common. It affects about 1 in 5,000 both men and women in a year. It usually affects adults and pregnant women and people with diabetes are more vulnerable. The symptoms include drooping eyelid or corner of the mouth, drooling, dry eye or mouth, impairment of taste, excessive tearing in the eye, numbness in the affected side and speech problems.
Bell’s palsy is almost a self-healing condition and patients make a complete recovery, with or without treatment, from a few weeks to a few months.
According to medical experts around 3 in 10 people with Bell’s palsy continue to experience weakness in their facial muscles, and very few are left with a serious long-term problem. Doctors’ records suggest that a viral infection, such as viral meningitis or the common cold virus, causes inflammation and damages the nerve which controls the facial muscles.
People who had chickenpox or cold sores during their childhood continue having that virus hidden in their bodies. A few viruses remain inactive in the nerve-roots for many months or years.
When body’s immune system gets weaker these viruses are re-activated, begin to mount up and cause inflammation around the facial nerve. Because it is swollen, the nerve gets compressed as it passes through a small hole at the base of the skull that causes Bell’s palsy.
Some studies suggest that it is not a farfetched idea to suggest that the variants of the herpes virus may also be the precise cause of Bell’s palsy.
Doctors differ on which therapy works better i.e. steroids, antiviral, or a combination of the two. After the clinical trials a consensus emerged among experts that administering steroids, specifically prednisolone, worked best.
It’s a known fact that all steroids have potential side effects such as stomach pain, high blood pressure, increased appetite, weight gain, acne, insomnia, mood swings, muscle weakness, fluid retention, hyperglycemia, swelling of the face, back of neck or ankles. Steroids also reduce the immunity to infections.
Homeopathic treatment for Bell’s palsy is strongly suggested for rapid recovery and antiviral activity. It hits the prime target towards healing of nerve damage. Homeopathic remedies aim to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism rather than merely suppressing the disease.
In allopathic system of medicine steroids are given to all patients of facial paralysis but homeopathy individualizes each and every case on the basis of peculiar symptoms.
For example if a patient’s one side of face has become paralyzed with exposure to cold air or wind his curative homeopathic medicine would be Causticum in an appropriate potency. Another patient whose muscles on one side of the face are stiff and twitching, or grimacing happens on the other side, he would be prescribed a different homeopathic medicine. A patient is excitable along with health anxiety and has over acute senses. Yet another patient who has paralysis on the left side of his face and also has a distorted mouth and extreme difficulty in closing the eye will get a different homeopathic medicine in the most suitable potency.
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on December 31, 2012
Bell’s palsy is often known as a facial paralysis. It portrays weakness of facial muscles on one side. The name Bell’s palsy comes from Sir Charles Bell who first detailed a condition that causes paralysis of the facial muscle.
Bell’s palsy occurrence is very common. It affects about 1 in 5,000 both men and women in a year. It usually affects adults and pregnant women and people with diabetes are more vulnerable. The symptoms include drooping eyelid or corner of the mouth, drooling, dry eye or mouth, impairment of taste, excessive tearing in the eye, numbness in the affected side and speech problems.
Bell’s palsy is almost a self-healing condition and patients make a complete recovery, with or without treatment, from a few weeks to a few months.
According to medical experts around 3 in 10 people with Bell’s palsy continue to experience weakness in their facial muscles, and very few are left with a serious long-term problem. Doctors’ records suggest that a viral infection, such as viral meningitis or the common cold virus, causes inflammation and damages the nerve which controls the facial muscles.
People who had chickenpox or cold sores during their childhood continue having that virus hidden in their bodies. A few viruses remain inactive in the nerve-roots for many months or years.
When body’s immune system gets weaker these viruses are re-activated, begin to mount up and cause inflammation around the facial nerve. Because it is swollen, the nerve gets compressed as it passes through a small hole at the base of the skull that causes Bell’s palsy.
Some studies suggest that it is not a farfetched idea to suggest that the variants of the herpes virus may also be the precise cause of Bell’s palsy.
Doctors differ on which therapy works better i.e. steroids, antiviral, or a combination of the two. After the clinical trials a consensus emerged among experts that administering steroids, specifically prednisolone, worked best.
It’s a known fact that all steroids have potential side effects such as stomach pain, high blood pressure, increased appetite, weight gain, acne, insomnia, mood swings, muscle weakness, fluid retention, hyperglycemia, swelling of the face, back of neck or ankles. Steroids also reduce the immunity to infections.
Homeopathic treatment for Bell’s palsy is strongly suggested for rapid recovery and antiviral activity. It hits the prime target towards healing of nerve damage. Homeopathic remedies aim to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism rather than merely suppressing the disease.
In allopathic system of medicine steroids are given to all patients of facial paralysis but homeopathy individualizes each and every case on the basis of peculiar symptoms.
For example if a patient’s one side of face has become paralyzed with exposure to cold air or wind his curative homeopathic medicine would be Causticum in an appropriate potency. Another patient whose muscles on one side of the face are stiff and twitching, or grimacing happens on the other side, he would be prescribed a different homeopathic medicine. A patient is excitable along with health anxiety and has over acute senses. Yet another patient who has paralysis on the left side of his face and also has a distorted mouth and extreme difficulty in closing the eye will get a different homeopathic medicine in the most suitable potency.
