Facial palsy, also known as Bell’s palsy, leaves one side of your face sagging and drooping. Similar to symptoms observed after a stroke, facial palsy symptoms typically affect one eyelid and one side of your smile. Facial palsy symptoms can develop over just a few days or hours.
Mild cases of facial palsy can affect you for 3-6 months, while severe cases can result in lasting complications, including facial nerve damage and partial or complete blindness. If you have facial palsy symptoms, get in touch with notable orbital and oculoplastic surgeon Raymond Douglas, MD, PhD for diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Douglas provides expert care, including both nonsurgical and surgical treatment, to new and existing patients from his offices in Beverly Hills and Long Beach, California. Sufferers of facial palsy have effective treatment options available to them with Dr. Douglas.
Here’s what you need to know about some of your best treatment options for facial palsy at Dr. Douglas’s Los Angeles offices.
1. Physical therapy for facial palsy
Facial palsy may be related to inflammation of the nerve that controls the muscle on the affected side of your face. Dr. Douglas confirms your facial palsy diagnosis with electromyography (EMG) testing, if needed.
If you do have facial palsy, you may be able to see improvements with conservative approaches like physical therapy. Dr. Douglas can recommend physical therapy exercises designed to help prevent permanently tightened tissues, muscles, or ligaments, also known as contractures.
2. Medication management and facial palsy
You may develop facial palsy as a complication of a viral infection like herpes simplex, chickenpox or shingles, mononucleosis, or mumps. Lasting inflammation in the facial nerve produces your Bell’s palsy symptoms.
Dr. Douglas may be able to address your condition successfully using corticosteroid medications to reduce inflammation and paralysis. Talk to Dr. Douglas about medications that could improve your facial paralysis and palsy symptoms.
3. Surgical treatment for facial palsy
In severe cases, facial palsy can result in additional symptoms and complications, including saliva and tear duct function issues, headaches, and potentially lasting vision problems. It’s important to get lasting Bell’s palsy symptoms seen by an eye surgery expert like Dr. Douglas.
For patients in need of more intensive intervention for facial palsy, Dr. Douglas may be able to use surgical techniques to improve symptoms and address the root source of the condition. Dr. Douglas recommends surgery if your facial palsy symptoms haven’t resolved after 12 months.
Dr. Douglas can surgically reposition your eyelid to help it open and close more effectively. This keeps your eyeball properly lubricated and prevents further weakening in the muscles around your eyelid.
To learn more about your treatment options for facial palsy or Bell’s palsy with Dr. Douglas, get in touch today. Call Dr. Raymond Douglas, MD, PhD now, or schedule an appointment online.