A Few Bell's Palsy Treatments
The main priority in Bell's palsy treatment or with any other kind of facial paralysis is to be able to quickly eliminate the source of nerve damage. Even a slight compression for a short span of time could result in temporary and mild damage. Having constant or an increase in compression may increase the chances of nerve damage. The doctor may prescribe medications such as Prednisone and antiviral drugs to help relieve the compression. But such Bell's palsy treatment should be started as soon as possible since the best time to start these medications is about seven days from the onset of palsy.
The oral steroid, Prednisone, is the common form of Bell's palsy treatment since it assists in reducing the nerve inflammation and shortens the recovery period. Several studies have showed that this medicine is really effective in shortening the course of Bell's palsy and in improving recovery rate, although there are other studies that suggest little benefit only.
While the use of antiviral medications, such as acyclovir and famciclovir, is somewhat controversial with regards to Bell's palsy treatment. This medicine is usually used in addition to an oral steroid. There is not much proof that using antiviral medications in Bell's palsy treatment would be effective.
Another alternative treatment to Bell's palsy would be a facial massage. This could, in fact, help the patients from having permanent contractures of the paralyzed muscles before the actual recovery takes place. In severe cases of this condition, surgery may be considered in the Bell's palsy treatment. The surgery would be able to relieve some pressure on the nerve that is located at the narrowest point of the bony canal. This procedure could also potentially avoid any kind of permanent nerve damage. Surgery as Bell's palsy treatment is another controversial issue. For instance, in a patient who has had this condition for a couple of weeks already, it is possible that permanent damage to the nerve has already occurred. At this stage, surgery is less likely to be beneficial. The best time to consider surgery as Bell's palsy treatment would be during the second week from the onset of the illness and as long as there is no sign of improvement. Probably the major complication of this surgery is the chance of having permanent hearing loss. People considering surgery should be aware of that. But even without any kind of Bell's palsy treatment, there are a lot of people who completely recover or just have minimal deficits from this condition. Although, the percentage of people who recover with surgical or medical Bell's palsy treatment are somewhat higher compared to those who did not get any treatment. In treating patients with Bell's palsy, it is important that they should get adequate rest. They would be able to heal more efficiently if their bodies are well rested and have enough strength to fight off the disease. Listen to what your body is telling you; when you feel like taking a break, indulge it if you can.
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