Bell’s Palsy
Bell’s Palsy is defined as an acute,
idiopathic, commonly unilateral, peripheral facial paralysis.
Pain behind the ear on the affected side is among the symptoms.
Half of the patients experience pain in the mastoid process
of the involved side.
Chiropractic care of a patient with vertebral
subluxation and Bell’s Palsy. Alcantara, J, Plaugher,
G, Van Wyngarden, DL J Manipulative Physiol Ther May 2003,
Vol 26, No 4
This is the case of a 49-year-old woman with a
medical diagnosis of Bell’s Palsy. She suffered from
right facial paralysis, profuse right eye tearing, hypersensitivity
to sound in both ears (phonophobia), pain in the right temporomandibular
joint (TMJ) and neck pain. Her symptoms began a few months
after she had dental work. She was adjusted using the Gonstead
Technique for vertebral and occipital subluxations. Her left
TMJ was also adjusted. Her symptoms continued to resolve
during the 6 months of care.
Parkinson’s disease, Meniere’s syndrome, trigeminal
neuralgia and Bell’s Palsy: one cause, one correction.
Burcon, MT, Dynamic Chiropractic, May 19, 2003 pp. 34, 41-44,
48.
The author found the same spinal subluxation (C-1 posterior) “Causing
the head to project forward” and eliminate the cervical
curve in: 16 Meniere’s syndrome, two Parkinson’s
disease, two trigeminal neuralgia and two Bell’s palsy
patients. The author hypothesizes that the atlas subluxation
interfered with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) causing
excessive pressure in the brain and affecting midbrain function.
He writes “This subluxation appears to be associated
with cervical trauma.”
Case histories of a sample of patients are given. The author
writes: “When the atlas returns to [normal position],
the spinal cord relaxes…All 22 patients improved dramatically
after one or two adjustments under cervical specific chiropractic
care. ”
Bell’s Palsy and the upper cervical spine.
Kessinger R, Boneva D. CRJ Vol. Vl, No. 2, Fall 1999.
This is
a case study of two patients presenting with Bell’s
palsy and receiving upper cervical specific chiropractic
care.
The first patient was a 39 year old truck driver who had
the palsy for two weeks. The right side of his face was paralyzed
and he could not close his right eye. He had received a manipulative
procedure from a neurologist one day following the onset
of the condition with no improvement. The second case is
that of a 16 year old female seen one day after the onset.
She had facial paralysis on the right side and was unable
to close her right eye.
Both patients received upper cervical
specific care and returned to normal.
Bells’ Palsy, A chiropractic case study. Shara K,
Sacro-occipital Resource Society International Vol. 11 No.
2, May 1999. (originally published in the Kansas Chiropractic
Association Journal – no date given).
A 40-year-old white
male with right facial paralysis of 2 days duration. Prior
to the paralysis he had been experiencing “tingling” sensations
at C7/T1 and had been fighting a sinus infection for two
weeks. Patient also had right facial numbness, inability
to smile on affected side and inability to eat on the affected
side.
Patient was adjusted SOT (sacral occipital technique)
with pelvic blocks, cranial work and cervical adjustment. By
3rd visit, (2 days later) up to 75% of sensation in the face
had returned and by day 7 he showed complete recovery.
A five
year old boy with Bell’s Palsy. International
Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter September/October
1997
A five year old boy fell from his bike and within one week
had symptoms of Bell’s Palsy. He was unable to close
his right eye or wrinkle his brow. He was brought to a neurologist
who told the parents it would be 4 or 5 months recovery time.
Chiropractic
examination revealed a right lateral atlas (C-1) and the
child was adjusted once per week for three weeks at which
time has was 90% improved.
Chiropractic management of a patient
with Bell’s Palsy.
Alacantara J, Plaugher G, Van Wyngarden DL. International
Journal of Chiropractic Vol. 9, No. 2 1997 (Official publication
of the Gonstead Clinical Studies Society www.gonstead.com
)
This is the case of a 49-year-old female with a medical
diagnosis of Bell’s Palsy with right facial paralysis,
the inability to close her right eye, extreme bilateral ear
sensitivity to sound, pain in the right TMJ and neck pain.
Patient
could not raise her right eyebrow, close her eye, show her
upper teeth, smile, and frown or puff her cheeks. Symptoms
began ten days after a series of dental treatments for crowns
on her right molars.
Chiropractic care: The patient was seen
37 times over a period of 6 months. Her left TMJ as well as
thoracic and lumbar vertebrae was adjusted. She experienced
symptomatic relief in the cervical and facial regions after
one week of care; within four months her right facial pain
abated, she could close her right eye lightly, smile, move
her eyebrows and puff her cheeks.
Comment from Dr. Koren: There
was not a complete recovery for this patient. The history of
such dramatic symptoms appearing so soon after dental work
would lead me to believe that at least part of her problem
was improper fitting of the crowns. In addition to spinal analysis
and adjustment this patient should have been sent to a structural
dentist for evaluation.
Treatment of facial muscles affected
by Bell’s Palsy
with high-voltage electrical muscle stimulation. Shrode,
LW. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1993; 16:347-352.
“Patients were treated with high-voltage pulsed galvanic
current…spinal fixations were mobilized using chiropractic
manipulation.” Positive results were reported.
Comment
from Dr. Koren: This article discussed the electrical therapy
in great detail while briefly mentioning adjusting (“manipulating”)
the spine
Treatment of Bell’s Palsy by mechanical force,
manually assisted chiropractic adjusting and high voltage electrotherapy.
Frach, JP, Ostenbauer PJ, Fuhr AW, Journal of Manipulative
and Physiological Therapeutics 1992;15:596-8.
This article discusses
two cases of Bell’s palsy.
The first case is that of an
18-year-old female with left-sided Bell’s palsy of 10
days duration. She was 3 months pregnant and noted that the
condition started within a few days of cold symptoms. She had
improvement within 3 days after the first adjustment and was
dismissed as symptom-free after a total of five adjustments.
The
second case is of a 37-year-old male with right sided Bell’s
palsy of approximately 25 days duration, along with moderate
low back pain which began two weeks prior to onset of the facial
paralysis. The patient was experiencing considerable pain behind
the right ear, temporomandibular joint syndrome, neck pain,
headaches and sensitivity to cold weather exposure.
After nine
adjustments patient reported about 60-70% improvement.
Idiopathic
facial paralysis: mechanism, diagnosis and conservative management.
Palmieri NF. Chiro Technique 1990; Nov: 182-187.
“Treatment
consisted of mechanical force, manually assisted chiropractic
adjusting, high voltage therapy and self-administered facial
muscle exercises.”
Positive results were reported.
Comment from Dr. Koren: This
article discussed the electrical therapy in great detail while
briefly mentioning adjusting (“manipulating”) the
spine. Sad.
Chiropractic and pregnancy, a partnership for the
future. Fallon J. ICA Review Nov/Dec 1990. pp. 39-42.
Neurological
conditions associated with subluxation in pregnancy: brachia
neuralgia, compression of the brachial plexus causing tingling
and numbness in the shoulder and arm; neuralgia, paraesthesia,
compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve causing
pain and paraesthesia of the thigh; intercostal neuralgia,
compression of the intercostal nerves causing radiating pain
between the ribs; sciatic neuralgia, compression of lumbar
plexus causing pain of the pelvic region and/or radiating down
leg; coccydynia, pain at site of coccyx; separation of the
symphysis pubis, causing pain at the symphysis pubis and SI
joint; carpal tunnel syndrome, compression of median nerve;
Bell’s Palsy, compression of CN VII causing
paralysis of facial muscles; traumatic neuritis, motor and
sensory deficits of L5, S1 and S2 after labor.
Evaluation of
a treatment plan for Bell’s Palsy; a
case report. Leuke CH, Johnson BW. ICA Rev. 1988; Sept/Oct:
46-47.
A forty year old female with neck pain and Bell’s
Palsy on the left side of the face: sensitivity to light
in the left eye, drooping musculature on the left side of
the face, sinus pain, neck pain.
“After three weeks of adjustments her cervical pain
and Bell’s Palsy were alleviated.
Copyright 2004 Koren
Publications, Inc. & Tedd
Koren, D.C.