Alptekin Derya Özmen
Ankara Koru Hospital Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Acupuncture Outpatient Clinic Kızılırmak mah., 1450 Sokak No: 13, Çankaya, Ankara, 06510, Turkey.
Complement Ther Med. 2017 Dec;35:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2017.08.013. Epub 2017 Aug 25.
Bell's palsy is an idiopathic, acute peripheral palsy of the facial nerve that supplies the muscles of facial expression. Despite an expected 70% full recovery rate, up to 30% of patients are left with potentially disfiguring facial weakness, involuntary movements, or persistent lacrimation. The most frequently used treatment options are corticosteroids and antiviral drugs. However, accompanying clinical conditions, such as uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, gastrointestinal disturbances, polypharmacy of geriatric patients, and significant sequelae ratios, indicate the need for safe and effective complementary therapies that would enhance the success of the conventional interventions.
A 26-year-old female presented with numbness and earache on the left side of the face; these symptoms had been ongoing for 8-10h. Physical examination revealed peripheral facial paralysis of House-Brackmann grade III and corticosteroid-valacyclovir treatment was initiated. On the same day, Kinesio Taping was applied to the affected nerve and muscle area with the aim of primarily neurofacilitation and edema-pain relief. On the fifth day, acupuncture treatment was started and was continued for 3 consecutive days. A physical therapy program was administered for the subsequent 10days. At the 3-week follow-up examination, Bell's palsy was determined as grade I, and the treatment was stopped.
Acupuncture and Kinesio Taping, in conjunction with physical therapy modalities, are safe and promising complementary therapies for the acute management of Bell's palsy. However, further large scale and randomized controlled studies are necessary to assess whether these complementary interventions have significant additive or synergistic effect for complete recovery of patients with Bell's palsy.
贝尔麻痹是一种特发性急性周围性面神经麻痹，该神经支配面部表情肌。尽管预期有70%的患者可完全康复，但仍有高达30%的患者会遗留可能毁容的面部无力、不自主运动或持续性流泪。最常用的治疗方法是使用皮质类固醇和抗病毒药物。然而，伴随的临床情况，如未控制的糖尿病、高血压、胃肠道紊乱、老年患者的多重用药以及较高的后遗症发生率，表明需要安全有效的辅助疗法来提高传统干预措施的成功率。
一名26岁女性出现左侧面部麻木和耳痛；这些症状已持续8 - 10小时。体格检查显示为House - Brackmann Ⅲ级周围性面瘫，遂开始使用皮质类固醇 - 伐昔洛韦治疗。同一天，在患侧神经和肌肉区域应用肌内效贴布，主要目的是促进神经功能和缓解水肿疼痛。在第5天开始针灸治疗，并连续进行3天。随后进行了10天的物理治疗计划。在3周的随访检查中，贝尔麻痹被判定为Ⅰ级，治疗停止。
针灸和肌内效贴布结合物理治疗方法，对于贝尔麻痹的急性治疗是安全且有前景的辅助疗法。然而，需要进一步开展大规模随机对照研究，以评估这些辅助干预措施对贝尔麻痹患者完全康复是否具有显著的相加或协同作用。
