Facial paralysis / weakness in the facial nerve and muscles

So, I’m dealing with peripheral facial palsy that hit about three weeks ago.
In all this time, there hasn't been any improvement in my facial movement. To make matters worse, the muscles seem to be atrophying.
Here’s what I’ve done for treatment so far: steroids for 9 days, Neurobion Forte, 12 sessions of acupuncture at the pain management center,
two weeks of Aciclovir (the shingles test came back positive about 7 days after the paralysis started);
and electromagnetic therapy, though I've only had 4 sessions so far.
Honestly, I have a gut feeling that the electromagnetic therapy is actually making things worse.

Everything I've had checked out so far: Doppler, EEG, EKG, X-rays of the cervical spine, orthopan, CT scans, and X-rays for my heart, lungs, jaw joints, and neck.
After all that, I’m back to getting these sharp, stabbing pains in my ear that would settle down for a few days before coming back.
I'm wondering—was the shingles outbreak just a random thing that happened alongside the palsy, or did the shingles actually trigger everything and stay hidden for about 10 days before symptoms showed up? Also, is it possible that 14 days of being super disciplined with Herplex (taking 140 tablets of 800 mg over those 14 days) just wasn't enough? (The little pimples on my earlobe are finally gone, though).
Has anyone else gone through something similar, or does anyone have advice?
Best,
Susan.

My husband suffered a pinched nerve about three months ago, and honestly, I don't think things are looking up at all..

boldtiger9 said:My husband suffered a pinched nerve about three months ago, and honestly, I don't think things are looking up at all..

I went through the same thing 12 years ago, and it lasted maybe three and a half months. It actually messed with my eye because I couldn't close it properly. I don't really remember everything I took, but I spent a long time doing therapy at Salat, getting facial massages, doing facial exercises, and even electrical stimulation. I guess those exercises eventually helped. They never found the actual cause, and they even talked about surgery, but thank God that didn't happen. Even now, my lip twitches slightly to one side sometimes, but nobody even notices.🙂

I’d say give acupuncture a shot. It worked for me in about ten days. I actually went to physical therapy over near Cedars-Sinai first, and they were the ones who suggested trying acupuncture. I can't quite recall the doctor's name, but the office was somewhere near the downtown interchange. Anyway, I just remember them telling me I should probably start as soon as possible...

Has anyone dealt with this before??
I’m trying to figure out if there's actually a way to treat this, how long it takes, or even what causes it in the first place...
In my case, it started after I had head surgery. My doctor insists the nerve was barely even touched, but it's been a full year now and nothing has changed...😢 ....
If anyone has any insight, please let me know. I could really use the help. Thanks.😕

Maria Ramirez63 said:Has anyone dealt with this before??
I’m trying to figure out if there's actually a way to treat this, how long it takes, or even what causes it in the first place...
In my case, it started after I had head surgery. My doctor insists the nerve was barely even touched, but it's been a full year now and nothing has changed...😢 ....
If anyone has any insight, please let me know. I could really use the help. Thanks.😕

If there's actual nerve damage, that paralysis is likely permanent.😢 Some physical therapy might offer minor relief, but you really need to consult a neurologist or a physiatrist.
It's what happens when you start messing with the head. You never truly know what you're hitting or what kind of lasting damage you're going to leave behind.

Can anyone recommend some specific exercises to do if you're dealing with facial paralysis?

The thread was probably something like, "Window's open, window's broken... breeze hits and boom."

I'll keep this brief. Aside from the standard meds and physical therapy you can get prescribed by your doctor today and start in a few days, I'm wondering what you can actually achieve at private PT clinics?

What's the end goal here?

I think I read somewhere about acupuncture.

Thanks in advance.🙂

My dad went through something similar about ten years ago (it all happened back in Chicago). He happened to stumble upon some doctors who were running a research study on treating Facialis with electrical stimulation. They ended up bringing him into the study—I can't remember exactly how long ago it was, but I think it lasted about a month. They hooked him up to these electrodes, and honestly, he was completely cured. There isn't even a trace left... I know me sharing this doesn't really help you solve your own situation here in the States, but I didn't tell you just for the sake of it; I wanted you to see that a full, total recovery is actually possible...

rowdyharbor15 said:The thread was probably something like, "Window's open, window's broken... breeze hits and boom."

I'll keep this brief. Aside from the standard meds and physical therapy you can get prescribed by your doctor today and start in a few days, I'm wondering what you can actually achieve at private PT clinics?

What's the end goal here?

I think I read somewhere about acupuncture.

Thanks in advance.🙂

Hey!! Look, I dealt with facial paralysis twice over a five-year span. The first time left zero traces because it was minor—just pulled my bottom lip a bit, so I just worked it out in front of a mirror. The second time? It left marks that are still visible six years later. Honestly, the biggest mistake people make with this is electrical stimulation therapy. It actually made things worse for me, which my doctor even confirmed. Acupuncture was my savior—it worked incredibly well. My wife's friend basically saved my face as much as she could after the paralysis and the damage from that electric therapy. I also used some homeopathic drops in my eye and took them orally. Bottom line: acupuncture saved me, and I’m still grateful to the person who pointed me toward it. You can still see some traces on my face that even acupuncture can't fully wipe away, but since the paralysis totally deformed the left side of my face, nobody notices unless they already know what happened. My left lip corner still pulls slightly, and when I lift my eyebrows, the left one barely moves. I do facial exercises every single morning and night, but even after all these years, the effects are still there. This stuff isn't some joke, and worst of all, nobody can guarantee it won't come back.😢... This paralysis isn't harmless, and the worst part is there's no guarantee it won't return.🤷

Nowadays, you can even find stuff like massage therapy and steam rooms at your local community health center.

Between the calming meds and various vitamins,

I’m definitely looking into booking some acupuncture sessions along with a few other physical therapy treatments.

Alright, let's try to pinpoint the actual cause here. Could it just be simple exposure to the cold?🤷 For instance, if I step outside in the middle of January without any protection for my face.

I'm honestly terrified of this🤣, especially since three of my close relatives dealt with it. In all three cases, it was triggered by being out in the elements with wet hair.

I’m wondering if you can actually run these therapies at the same time? Honestly, I’d rather try that than just sit around waiting for time to take its course.

I step from heat to AC about a hundred times a day. My body has basically adapted to it... though maybe it’s just age, or maybe it’s those sudden weather shifts when you aren't being active. It’s like trying to sprint out of nowhere when your joints aren't even warmed up yet...

I’ve been driving my car with the windows down lately because the power windows were acting up, but since it was summer, I didn't even care. That’s a pretty perfect excuse right there.

There are different types and causes of facial paralysis.

Bell's palsy is officially classified as a condition with an unknown cause.
It is absolutely critical to avoid sudden temperature shifts—whether it's freezing winter air or summer heat—and stay away from drafts.
People actually call it "driver's disease" because of how often folks roll down their windows right next to their faces.

(Based on recent global data, it seems like therapy—even those facial exercises—doesn't do much of anything. The reality is the illness just follows its own course, leading to varying degrees of recovery. Partial recovery often results in permanent synergy issues.)

Lately, the standard treatment involves corticosteroids.
It’s also recommended to take Omega-3 (fish oil), Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and Zinc.
A lot of people opt for acupuncture.

The lucky ones recover in about three weeks.

rowdyharbor15 said:The thread was probably something like, "Window's open, window's broken... breeze hits and boom."

I'll keep this brief. Aside from the standard meds and physical therapy you can get prescribed by your doctor today and start in a few days, I'm wondering what you can actually achieve at private PT clinics?

What's the end goal here?

I think I read somewhere about acupuncture.

Thanks in advance.🙂

At a private clinic, you're basically going to get the same stuff you'd find anywhere else: mirror exercises and maybe some stimulation, which could go either way—help you or hurt you. The exercises are pretty much always the same; you do the movement as far as you can, and then the therapist helps finish it, so the movement is actively assisted. That way, your muscles work as much as they can, and your brain gets the signal through the nerves that the function is still there. You can also do resistance training to build up muscle strength.
They might also do facial massage to stimulate inactive tissue or relax it if there's muscle spasms.
Overall, the exercises are where the real benefit lies.

Exercise examples

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dRAMxleeaw

What exactly is synergy?

Then you’ve got bundle branch block to deal with too.

Honestly, it looks like time is the only thing that's going to fix this. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is definitely setting in.

Synergy is basically when different organs—in this case, muscles—work together in tandem.
Synkinesis is when one movement triggers another unintended one right alongside it.

For example, if you have synkinesis from Bell's palsy, trying to smile might cause the outer corner of your eye to droop down.
It’s like one muscle is trying to "help" another; as soon as one moves, the other just follows suit.

This is a super common side effect of facial nerve palsy.
I put a link here to a video of a girl dealing with synkinesis—take a look and listen to what's happening.

Good luck!
I’m betting you’re making more progress every single day.🙂.

So, here’s the situation I’m dealing with

I can't get the right side of my mouth to move at all. When I try to smile, everything just pulls over to the left side, so I end up looking like Johnny Bravo😁
It’s the same deal when I try to eat—I can't do it normally. When I drink, everything just leaks out the side. And when I talk, I sort of mumble like my tongue is numb. Nothing looks swollen (everything looks totally normal), my teeth are fine, and there isn't any pain. Seriously, NOTHING hurts.

Yesterday, I was hanging out with some friends. We went outside for a bit to catch some fresh air and have a smoke since you can't smoke inside the bar we were at. Had two beers, nothing crazy.

Then this happened this morning (right as I got out of bed and started brushing my teeth). That's when I really noticed it.

Does anyone know what this might be or how long it lasts? I figured I'd ask here before heading to see a doctor if I actually need to go.

Thanks in advance

vividdriver22 said:So, here’s the situation I’m dealing with

I can't get the right side of my mouth to move at all. When I try to smile, everything just pulls over to the left side, so I end up looking like Johnny Bravo😁
It’s the same deal when I try to eat—I can't do it normally. When I drink, everything just leaks out the side. And when I talk, I sort of mumble like my tongue is numb. Nothing looks swollen (everything looks totally normal), my teeth are fine, and there isn't any pain. Seriously, NOTHING hurts.

Yesterday, I was hanging out with some friends. We went outside for a bit to catch some fresh air and have a smoke since you can't smoke inside the bar we were at. Had two beers, nothing crazy.

Then this happened this morning (right as I got out of bed and started brushing my teeth). That's when I really noticed it.

Does anyone know what this might be or how long it lasts? I figured I'd ask here before heading to see a doctor if I actually need to go.

Thanks in advance

Looks like none of the doctors on duty are hanging out here right now... so while you wait for them to chime in, check out this article on facial paralysis:



See if there's anything in there that helps. Being exposed to that cold wind is probably the culprit. If you aren't feeling better already, you should definitely head to a doctor