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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffHome treatment may include:
- Protecting the eye you can't close. Using lubricating eyedrops during the day and an eye ointment at night will help keep your eye moist. Wearing glasses or goggles during the day and an eye patch at night can protect your eye from getting poked or scratched.
- Taking over-the-counter pain relievers. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may help ease your pain.
- Applying moist heat. Putting a washcloth soaked in warm water on your face several times a day may help relieve pain.
- Doing your physical therapy exercises. Massaging and exercising your face according to your physical therapist's advice may help relax your facial muscles.
References
- Bell's palsy fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/bells/detail_bells.htm. Accessed Nov. 10, 2009.
- Ronthal M. Bell's palsy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 11, 2009.
- Bell's palsy. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/bellsPalsy.cfm. Accessed Nov. 10, 2009.
- Bell's palsy. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch219/ch219i.html. Accessed Nov. 11, 2009.
- Cardoso JR, et al. Effects of exercises on Bell's palsy: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ontology & Neurotology. 2008;29:557.
- De Almeida JR, et al. Combined corticosteroid and antiviral treatment for Bell palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2009;302:985.
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