Ayurvedic Treatment for Bell’s palsy is described under the chapter Vatavyadhi chikitsa, treatment of neurological disorder. Bell’s palsy is a disease affecting the nervous system. Nerves that control the movement of facial muscles are affected. Bell’s palsy involves damage to the seventh cranial nerve.
- SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BELL’S PALSY
- CAUSES OF BELL’S PALSY
- PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF BELL’S PALSY
- DIAGNOSIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- TREATMENTS FOR BELL’S PALSY
- PROGNOSIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- COMPLICATIONS OF BELL’S PALSY
- BELL’S PALSY AND AYURVEDA
- NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF BELL’S PALSY
- PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF BELL’S PALSY
- SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BELL’S PALSY
- AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR BELL’S PALSY
- AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR BELL’S PALSY
- AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR BELL’S PALSY
- AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR BELL’S PALSY
- COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR BELL’S PALSY
- HOME REMEDIES FOR BELL’S PALSY
- DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR BELL’S PALSY
- YOGA FOR BELL’S PALSY
- RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF BELL’S PALSY
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BELL’S PALSY
- Difficulty in eating and drinking
- Drooling
- Hard to close eyes
- Dry eyes
- Problems in making facial expressions
- Loss of taste sensation
- Difficulty in smiling
- Drooping of the face
- Headache
CAUSES OF BELL’S PALSY
- Fracture of skull bone leads to damage to the facial nerve
- Herpes zoster infection
- HIV infection
- Sarcoidosis
- Lyme disease
- Ear infections
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF BELL’S PALSY
Due to the above-mentioned causes, the facial nerve gets damaged. The facial nerve controls the movement of the muscles of the face. Finally, the symptoms of facial paralysis manifested.
DIAGNOSIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- CT scan
- MRI
- Electromyography
- Nerve conduction test
- A blood test to find out the infections
TREATMENTS FOR BELL’S PALSY
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Antiviral or antibacterial medication
- Analgesics
- Eye drops
- Physiotherapy
PROGNOSIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- The prognosisof Bell’s palsy is generally very good.
- The extent of nerve damage determines the extent of recovery.
- With or without treatment, most individuals begin to get better within two weeks after the initial onset of symptoms and most recover some or all facial function within six months.
COMPLICATIONS OF BELL’S PALSY
- Irreversible damage to your facial nerve
- Synkinesis
- Lagophthalmos (inability to close the eye completely)
- Paralytic ectropion of the lower lid
- Corneal exposure.
BELL’S PALSY AND AYURVEDA
- In Ayurveda, Bell’s palsy falls under Vatavyadhi or a Vata dosha imbalance disorder.
- Vata vyadhi can be correlated to neurological or neuromuscular disorders. The causes and pathogenesis of diseases caused by vitiation of Vata dosha, in general, are the exclusive cause and pathogenesis ofpain, paralysis, numbness, and tingling sensation.
- More specifically Bell’s palsy can be called as “Ardita” in Ayurveda.
NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF BELL’S PALSY
- Excess consumption of ununctuous, cold food
- Excessive physical exercise.
- Suppression of natural urges.
- Trauma
- Lifting of heavyweight
- Improper postures in bed
PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF BELL’S PALSY
- Horripilation
- Tremors
- Stiffness in the sides of the neck and jaws
- Numbness in skin
SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- Due to the etiological factors, vata gets aggravated and localized in places such as head, nose, lips, chin, forehead and eyes and develops pain and paralysis in these areas causes ardita.
LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BELL’S PALSY
- Half of the face along with neck gets crooked
- Trembling in the head
- Loss of speech
- Abnormal appearance of eyes
AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF BELL’S PALSY
- Ardita is incurable in persons who are emaciated, having fixed eyes and constantly muffled voice, which has persisted for more than three years associated with shaking of the head.
CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR BELL’S PALSY
Ayurvedic local treatment for BELL’S PALSY
- Siro pichu
- Sirovasthi
- Mukha abhyanga – facial massage with oil
AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR BELL’S PALSY
- Rasona kalkam – garlic paste is taken along with butter
- Dasamulaghana vati
- Trayodasanga guggulu
- Yogaraja guggulu
- Rasaraja rasa
- Aswagandharishta
- Balarishta
AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR BELL’S PALSY
- Nasya- Ksheerabala tailam, karpasasthyadi tailam
- Vasthi – medicated enema
COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR BELL’S PALSY
Internal administration
- Dasamulaghana vati
- Trayodasanga guggulu
- Yogaraja guggulu
- Rasaraja rasa
- Aswagandharishta
- Balarishta
- Yogendrarasa
HOME REMEDIES FOR BELL’S PALSY
- Warm moist towel over your face to relieve pain
- Facial massage
DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR BELL’S PALSY
- Avoid food items which produce vata dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because vata imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
- Consume easily digestible food items, cow’s milk
- Avoid heavy exercises which further aggravate the conditions.
- Oil massage on affected area advised. Which alleviates vata dosha
- Take proper rest.
YOGA FOR BELL’S PALSY
Yoga and Pranayama are a set of breathing and stretching exercises respectively, widely practised in the treatment of paralytic conditions including Hemiplegia, facial palsy and other neuromuscular diseases.
- Nadi Shuddi Pranayam –patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.
- Parvatasana – It is greatly beneficial in treating paralysis by strengthening the nervous system and the muscles. Parvatasana which translates to Mountain pose helps in restraining paralytic parts of the body by stretching the spinal cord, abdomen and muscle arms.
- Siddhasana – This yogic posture is said to cure Paralysis by awakening the body’s energy centres called the ‘chakras.’
RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF BELL’S PALSY
1. Ayurvedic management of Bell’s palsy – a case report
2. Management of ardita (bell’s palsy) through ayurveda-a case study