What Aggravates Bell’s Palsy & Where Do You Massage For It?

Bell’s palsy is a type of temporary facial paralysis, which leads to trauma or damage to facial nerves. The problem mainly affects only one from the paired facial nerves and a particular side of the face.⁽¹⁾

Bell’s palsy develops within only 2 or 3 days period, because of which sometimes patients think that they are suffering from a stroke.⁽²⁾

The condition of Bell’s palsy or facial palsy takes place because of damage caused to the seventh facial cranial nerve combined with pain and discomfort, while takes place to a particular side of the head or face.⁽³⁾

Your risk related to the development of Bell’s palsy disease will increase in the case you are-

• A diabetic patient
• Pregnant
• Suffering from lungs infection

Along with this, your risk related to facial palsy will increase if you have a family history associated with the respective condition.⁽⁵⁾

Doctors until now do not know the exact cause/causes of Bell’s palsy. However, a few of them have said that facial palsy has a relationship with viral infections. A few of the viruses linked to facial or Bell’s palsy are-

• Herpes simplex i.e. genital herpes and cold sores
• Shingles and chickenpox i.e. herpes zoster
• Epstein-Barr i.e. infectious mononucleosis
• Adenovirus i.e. respiratory illnesses
• Cytomegalovirus infections
• Rubella i.e. German measles
• Influenza B Flu
• Mumps virus
• Mouth, hand and foot diseases

The nerve responsible to control the facial muscles passes from a narrow bone corridor on the way towards the face. In the condition of Bell’s palsy, the respective nerve swells and inflames and it usually has a relationship with a viral infection. Other than facial muscles, the nerve will affect your saliva, tear, and stapes i.e. small bones present in the middle part of your ear.⁽⁴⁾

Doctors recommend for Bell’s palsy massage therapy under the program of facial paralysis treatment. At the initial stage, a massage therapist will teach his/her patient about various massage techniques to perform with Bell’s palsy. The mentioned massage technique focuses on different facial areas, which include-

Lower Facial Muscles Massage: Mouth exercise or lower facial muscle massage is recommendable whenever a patient has to grasp his lips center with the index finger and thumb, while pushes the lips towards his/her face and moves it in a smile position. This therapy helps in strengthening the lower face muscles and regaining the ability to achieve natural smiles, make facial expressions, and frown easily.

Forehead Massage: Massaging the forehead i.e. the upper portion of the face helps any Bell’s palsy patient to reduce his/her muscular weakness in the forehead region.

Cheeks Massage: You should use fingertips for performing a circular motion across the cheeks to boost your muscular movement in your cheeks if you are a Bell’s palsy patient.

If massage therapy is recommendable for Bell’s palsy patients, they have to undergo a customized therapy plan. Accordingly, therapists will give instructions about comprehensive massage therapy and patients should perform varieties of massage therapists by working with their therapist. Once the approached therapist believes that you may perform massage techniques safely, he may ask you to complete the massage techniques without any help.⁽⁶⁾

Based on the aforementioned facts, we can say that viral infections of various types combined with diabetes and lung infection are a few of the major aspects, which aggravate the problem of Bell’s palsy. However, in some cases, doctors recommend massage therapy treatment, in which massage is recommendable at forehead i.e. upper face, cheeks, and lower face i.e. mouth area. Initially, you have to perform activities under the guidance of a therapist but once you get expertise, you can do so without any assistance.

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Also Read:

• How Do You Get Bell’s Palsy & How Long Does It Take To Recover From Bell’s Palsy?
• Can Dental Problems Cause Trigeminal Neuralgia & What About Bell’s Palsy?
• Is Bell’s Palsy Caused By A Virus & Why Is It So Painful?
• Can Otitis Media Cause Bell’s Palsy & Is It Related To Lupus?
• Does Bell’s Palsy Affect Vision/Speech & How Much B12 Should I Take For It?
• Does Bell’s Palsy Affect Your Brain & Why Does My Eye Water With Bell’s Palsy?
• What Vitamins Help With Bell’s Palsy & Can I Go To Work With It?