Treatment of Bell's Palsy
Most cases of Bell’s palsy improve without treatment. Still, your healthcare provider may recommend one or more of these therapies for symptom relief and faster recovery: Eye care: Eye drops, including artificial tears, soothe dry, irritated eyes. If your eyelid won’t close, you may need to wear an eye patch to protect that eye from drying, irritants and injuries. Eye care is very important to prevent damage to your cornea, a serious complication of Bell’s palsy. Oral corticosteroids: Oral corticosteroids (like prednisone) can help decrease nerve swelling. It may help you regain facial movement faster. This treatment is most effective when you start it within 48 hours of noticing symptoms. Antiviral medications: Antiviral medications may speed up recovery. But it’s unclear how much benefit they provide. Providers typically only prescribe them for severe Bell’s palsy. This treatment works best when you combine it with oral corticosteroids. Electrical stimulation: Although some providers recommend electrical stimulation to prevent facial muscle loss after Bell’s palsy, studies haven’t shown any benefit of this treatment. In the rare case that Bell’s palsy doesn’t go away, functional facial plastic surgery procedures are an option. They can help correct facial asymmetry and assist with eyelid closure.