Enhancing Recovery from Bell’s Palsy

Bell’s palsy is a condition where there is sudden temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face. It has nothing to do with stroke. The exact cause of Bell’s palsy is unknown, but experts believe it is caused by swelling and inflammation of one of the cranial nerves, specifically the one controlling the muscles on the affected side of the face. This could cause the nerves to stop working properly.

When a person has Bell’s palsy, the paralysis of the facial muscles could lead to big facial contortions. It could cause the eyebrow, the affected side of the mouth, and the eyelid to droop, and the person may have difficulty closing the eyelid. Facial expressions like smiling would also be hard to make. Other problems that may be caused by Bell’s palsy include eating and drinking problems; loss of the sense of taste; increased sensitivity to sounds on the affected side of the face; facial pain and abnormal sensations; and changes in the amounts of tears and saliva produced. These changes can affect the lifestyle and social interactions of the patient greatly.

There is no known cure for Bell’s palsy. While the symptoms usually go away after a few months, sometimes they last longer. They may even be permanent for some people.

The Case of Derrence
Meet Derrence – a Bell’s palsy patient. Derrence woke up one morning not being able to move the left side of his face. He was not able to raise his left brow, and the left side of his mouth was affected due to decreased muscle movement. He went to see a doctor and was given steroids, but it barely helped. He also tried other forms of treatment, including acupuncture, but they too barely improved his condition.

Bell’s palsy affected Derrence greatly. He had problems eating and drinking as food/water kept coming out from the left side of his mouth. He also encountered problems while sleeping and communicating with his friends. Derrence wanted to have fillers to balance his look. However, his doctor in Los Angeles rejected the idea as he opined that Derrence would not look better and fillers would only add weight. This was when he was introduced to muscle stimulation to strengthen his facial muscles.

Upon his return to Singapore, Derrence chanced upon a clinic providing Emface treatment. The doctor realised that after two years, Derrence still had residual effects on the left side of his face. He then tried Emface, a technology that could stimulate facial muscles, on Derrence to aid his recovery. The result was extremely encouraging. After the first session, Derrence had a much more balanced appearance and his speech sounded better.

Emface
Emface is a simple, yet innovative treatment that may help to improve the effects of Bell’s palsy. It is able to do serial lifting and target more on the affected side of the face. Emface uses radiofrequency and high-intensity electromagnetic stimulation (HIFES™) technologies simultaneously. HIFES emits thousands of pulses to contract facial muscles. It tightens and lifts the face’s elevator muscles, which include the frontalis, the zygomaticus major and minor muscles, and the risorius muscles.

For long-term Bell’s palsy patients, their recommended treatments are usually physical therapy, facial exercises and connective tissue massage. Emface does these, while also warming up the facial muscles and increasing blood circulation. It works in line with the usual recommended treatments for Bell’s palsy patients.

If you are suffering from Bell’s palsy and feel encouraged by Derrence’s case to give Emface a try, do consult your doctor to see if Emface is suitable for you.