How to Live With Bell's Palsy

Bell's palsy is paralysis or weakness of the facial muscles responsible for expressions. The paralysis usually affects one side of the face and is often a temporary, one time event. The recovery time varies, but usually occurs within a month or so with or without treatment. Small percentages of people will have residual paralysis from permanent damage to the nerve and must learn to live with Bell's palsy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Take care of your eyes. Keep artificial tears handy at all times. The eye on the affected side may have lost the ability to blink, and the cornea needs moisture and lubrication to avoid injury. Instill drops frequently, especially if you are doing close work or sitting in front of a computer. Look for drops for sensitive eyes without preservatives and blink your eye manually, if necessary. You may also need to wear a patch over your eye during sleep, if it doesn't close completely.
2. Use an earplug on the affected side if noises are a problem. Sound may be distorted or excessively loud because of damage to the eardrum area.
3. Spend a little more time chewing your food. Eating and drinking may be more difficult because of muscle weakness, but take your time and try to use both sides of the mouth. Try this while you're alone if you feel uncomfortable doing it in front of people. Pay particular attention to good oral hygiene because food often lodges between the gum and check.
4. Consider physical therapy, exercise and massage. Studies suggest that exercise is helpful, even if started long after the initial damage to the facial nerves. Be patient and consistent and ask for help from a therapist if you feel you aren't making any progress on your own.
5. Talk to people about Bell's palsy. Many times when you explain your condition, it makes people feel more comfortable about asking you questions. Let them know that it isn't contagious, and nothing you did caused the condition.
6. Join a support group. It sometimes helps if you are able to talk to people who are experiencing the same challenges that you are. Your physician or nurse will be able to assist you with this.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk to your doctor before using an earplug if you have a history of ear infections or have had any kind of ear surgery.

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