I have been using homeopathy in my clinic to support clients through Bell's Palsy for year's now. When Bell's Palsy strikes it can be devastating and my clients are wanting help to speed recovery.
Bell's Palsy presents as one sided facial paralysis or muscle weakness. The VII cranial nerve is not functioning properly. This can strike suddenly or the progression of onset can come on slowly over 48 hours.
This may be painful but many of the cases in my clinic are pain free. Symptoms may range from difficulty in closing the eyelid, to the drooping of one side of the mouth. The face on the affected side may be numb. The hearing can become oversensitive while taste may be lost in parts of the tongue.
If left to it's own devices, Bell's palsy can take a matter of weeks to resolve but it may also take months. The right homeopathic remedy supports the healthy functioning of the nervous system. This often has the effect of helping to speed recovery time.
Here are 5 powerful reasons why homeopathy is great to use during Bell's Palsy:
1. We individualise our remedy prescription to your particular symptoms
A homeopath is always looking for what is unique, strange or peculiar in the symptom picture of a client. It could be that one person has twitching in the affected muscles and another does not.
To find that out, we take your sympoms in minute detail. Our homeopaths want to know the sensations you are experiencing such as type of pain or numbness.
Which side does it effect? Is the eye effected or is it only the mouth?
Do you have any other symptoms that have come on at the same time that seem unrelated to the Bell's palsy? These are often important in clarifying the remedy choice. The body will show it's dis-ease across many body systems at once.
2. We incorporate the emotional/mental stress you were under into our prescription
Your physical body is not separate to the emotional/mental body. Science has proven that stress has a detrimental effect on our physical functioning.
What stressful events occurred before the presentation of your symptoms? This may be a key factor in why you became susceptible to Bell's Palsy symptoms occurring.
A remedy matching the physical and emotional picture is the best support. Here is an example:
A young man came to see me with recently occurring Bell's Palsy. During the course of the consultation he spoke about how angry he was on behalf of a family member. The family member was being ill-treated by the extended family.
My client felt helpless to prevent what was happening. At the same time he was having difficulty getting past his indignant feelings on behalf of his loved one.
I prescribed Causticum 30c and the Bell's palsy began to improve. He was also able to move through his anger and find a solution to the issue within himself.
This client had been stuck in anger and indignation. This had been a contributing factor to the physical body's response of Bell's Palsy. Causticum is a remedy that a key essence of 'grief with indignation' or 'outraged at an injustice'
3. Existing Underlying Causes Are Important To Address
Underlying causes of Bell's palsy can be toxins, high blood pressure, mechanical injury. Toxins, Lyme disease and Guillain-Barre syndrome are also causes.
It may be a part of a deeper chronic condition such as MS and sarcoidosis can be factor.
I have also seen the herpetic virus may be an underlying cause affecting the facial nerves. This may still be a factor even if there hasn't been a recent case of cold sores.
A homeopath will take into account the underlying causative factors.
4. Supporting the Nervous System with Homeopathy May Allow Quicker Recovery
The underlying causes will contribute to speed of outcome.. Bell's palsy that is a result of strong emotional stress may respond quicker to the right remedy. In my clinic I have seen shorter recovery times than what they are expecting after a good remedy.
If there are many causative factors, then it may need constitutional care over time.
5. We Have Many Remedies That Can Support At Different Stages Of Recovery
Our homeopathic repertory lists 80 remedies to support during facial paralysis. Each remedy has it's own mental and emotional qualities that define it in practice. Through 250 years of clinical use, each remedy has it's own set of physical symptoms that they are useful in.
This is why it's important to work with our homeopaths so we can best match the remedy to your symptoms.