Bell’s Palsy

Problem – Bell’s Palsy

Treatment – Nasya

Name of Medical Problem: Bell’s Palsy

Ayurveda Term: Ardita

Background and Description:

A 52-year-old Indian businessman from West London came to see us for his chronic bell’s palsy for which he was undergoing treatment in the NHS and also with a private neurologist for several years. He also had a benign tumour in the brain which was pressing against his 8th cranial nerve.

Signs and Symptoms:

  • The clinical assessment confirmed Grade 3 House Brookman Facial Palsy.
  • Unable to chew properly, excessive salivation, and difficulty in swallowing.
  • Partial closure of the right eyelid
  • No sensorimotor deficit
  • Alert, oriented and coherent

Ayurveda Treatments:

The treatment approach for this patient included a combination of internal and external treatments.

Internal Treatment:

  1. Pranava Ayurveda Ardita Choorna: 1 teaspoonful with ghee and honey, 2 x times a day
  2. Dhanadanayanadi Kashaya: 20ml + 60ml warm water, 2 x times a day after meals
  3. Kanchanar Guggul- 1gm with warm water x 3 times a day
  4. Dhanwantar Thailam 101 Avarti- 10 drops in ½  cup warm water, 2 x times a day
  5. Jivha Pratisaran (brushing herbal paste on tongue and the inner side of the cheeks)- With a paste made of Vacha + Yashtimadhu + Daru Haridra  powders and Jyotishmati Tailam

External Treatments:

  1. Face and Neck Massage with Bala Tailam and Kukkutand Pinda Sweda- 24 sessions
  2. Nasya with Karpaasthyadi Thailam and Ksheera Dhoomam- 24 sessions

Results:

After 10 sessions, patients started showing improvement in several signs and symptoms. Assessment after 10 sessions, House Brookman Grade 3 improved to grade 2. The patient started chewing food better, excessive salivation got drastically reduced, and was able to close the right eyelid completely. At the end of 24 sessions, the slurred speech improved significantly, the smile sign disappeared, and the right-sided deviation of the cheek became normal. House Brookman’s assessment showed Grade 1 or lower in several signs and symptoms.

The patient was followed up in the clinic and was discharged with a set of Yoga and Pranayam exercises.