bells palsy

for how long a patient with bells palsy should be treated?
I RECIEVED YOUR REPLIES, I HAVE STUDY OF 74 PATIENTS IN MY OWN PHYSIOTHERAPY CENTRE AT PAKISTAN...WILL SHOW YOU ALL ON 30th april 2002....WAIT AS I AM CONCLUDING , sorry for late.
finaly in april 2002.

Bells Palsy requires very little physiotherapy interventions in the first 12 weeks. When a patient developes the palsy they should receive either anit-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics depending on what the doctor feels is the cause. The physiotherapists role is then to explain the improtance of regular message and exercises in the mirror to try and reactivate the muscles as soon as possible. Only after 12 weeks if no or minimal return has occured do we recommend electrical stimulation. Even then this must be applied with caution as it can lead to the development of spasticity. On average I only see the Bells Palsy patients twice over a 10-12 week peroid for reviews along the above lines of treatment.

bells palsy may be treated only with ejercices an soft tissue massage, but the early the treatment start the better in order to prevent changes in the muscle lenght. In the worse cases it is necessary the use of mouth splints that may be done by a physio or a occupational therapist. A few sessions at the beggining and then just a check up during the next few months would be enough. One year follw up would be to long . The key it is the patient education regarthing the exercices

I ran a small outpatient physio service in a country town in australia in the early 90's. To my amazement I had about 7 cases of Bell's Palsy in the one year. Carrying on the work of the PT's before me I used electrical stimulation in conjunction with medication and oral home exercises. It seemed to work pretty well though some of the ptosis's need surgical help to protect a residually droopy eye. I had no control group but hey the success rate was pretty good. I think early intervention would be a good idea, are there any studies to say it is not???

Ultrasound given early can relieve effects of inflammation.Advice re stretches to the good side.occasional ref for a lip lift splint attached to a small plate may help with severe residual loss. advice that early loss of sweet sensation may be annoying-difficulties with eating a sweet and sour dish! F.E.s. may assist during recovery. Stress may have contributed--vitamin b?

The patient with bell's palsy should be treated right from the onset and physiotherapy treatment should not be delayed. In my opinion the sooner the patient gets the ultrasound therapy, the early is the recovery. If the patient gets his ultrasound treatment in the first week of onset he will be recovered varying from 1-3 weeks to 1 and half month. The more younger is the patient the better is the chances of recovery and vice versa.After three weeks from the onset if improvements does not seem to occur, the better is to also include the electrical stimulation with IDC. There is no room for the use of faradic current as it lead to the development of secondary contractures of facial muscles. PNF facial musculature exercises should be started as soon as there is any sign for activity of muscles. Generally IDC stimulation should be continued as long as there is not sufficient activity in muscles. You may also use the IDC to re educate the lost movements of facial muscles. However, as you know as a rule after two year of complete paralysis there is no room also for any kind of electrical stimulation as after two years there is complete atrophy and fibrosis of muscles. The only solution left afterwards is plastic surgery of the patient. Physiotherapy should be started after the operation to re- educate the movements of face. I hope this information will help you a little bit. With regards, sabah