About face
Q: About a week ago, one side of my mother’s face began to droop and she has had no control over it since. We initially thought she had a stroke, but her doctor diagnosed her with Bell’s palsy. He said it would go away on its own, but that it could take six months or longer for her to make a full recovery. Can you give us any suggestions for minimizing the effects of this disease in the meantime?
Dr. Wright: For those readers who aren’t familiar with it, Bell’s palsy is a weakening or paralysis of the muscles of the face and is due to trauma to the facial nerve. Because it usually affects only one side of the face and involves the muscles around the eye and mouth, drooling and tearing are embarrassing and inconvenient symptoms of this disease.
The symptoms usually comes on very quickly and can occur to any one at any age, but older people, diabetics, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems are more at risk. Studies suggest that the herpes simplex virus may play a part in the development of Bell’s palsy. As your mother’s doctor indicated, the good news is that it’s not permanent and will likely resolve itself in six to 12 months.
In the meantime, some people find that methylcobalamin — a form of B12 — can have a positive effect on Bell’s palsy symptoms. Methylcobalamin is essential to the function and maintenance of nerve cells and their protective covering, the myelin sheath. I usually recommend 1,000 to 2,000 micrograms (1-2 ccs) daily until any beneficial effects have “plateaued” for several days. Stop after seven to 10 days if you find it is not helpful.
Taking a B-complex is also a good idea (especially one that contains B12, B1, and B6) but these don’t usually contain methylcobalamin — you’ll have to work with a skilled natural medicine physician to find a separate source for that.
