Bell’s palsy: traditional or alternative treatment?

Years ago, when the conventional system did not offer me the results I wanted, I decided to “walk the road less traveled.”

A 48-year-old white male patient comes to your attention because he cannot blink his eye. Upon closer inspection, it becomes obvious that he has a paralysis of the entire right side of the face. The diagnosis — Bell’s palsy. The cause: viral. The treatment: lubricants to lubricate the cornea, a lid tarsorrhaphy if the cornea becomes endangered, some facial massage and time.

In the process, you interview the man to learn some more history. Interestingly, the patient had some dental work about 5 days prior to the “attack.” During the crown placement, he received injections of a short-acting anesthetic. For the 2 days prior to the attack, he did strenuous labor in the yard and got little sleep and rest.

At the end of the encounter, you feel you have done the right thing. This is the “conventional wisdom.” This is the treatment plan they teach in medical school and at the meetings. You tell the patient that he is too stressed out and is working too hard. He needs a rest.

Alternative medicine

However, the patient chooses not to stop there. He is familiar with “complementary alternative medicine.” He goes home and reads. He then embarks on a new treatment plan.

Almost immediately, he does electro-dermal testing to show the “signature” of a cytomegalovirus; initiates NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Therapy) for the allergy to a dental anesthetic administered several days before; uses proteolytic enzymes to help undo the tissue damage; uses anti-virals: grapefruit seed extract, oil of oregano and garlic every 3 to 4 hours; and uses immune builders: thymus protein, among others.

The very next day, he receives “homeopathic oxidative therapies.” He makes a few phone calls to experts in alternative medicine.

A German biological doctor (naturopath in the United States) suggests homeopathic remedies including Gold-Copper-Silver, Virotox and Drainage. Also, he suggests, “find a good acupuncturist!” He also recommends a good nerve system support, called Calcium AEP, which was developed by Dr. Hans Nieper in Germany and was widely used there for nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis.

A local MD/homeopath suggests a number of homeopathic remedies and a chiropractor.

The remedies are purchased. A chiropractor is employed. Twice-daily adjustments of the atlas and axis bones and cranio-sacral adjustments for the misalignment of the cranial bones and the mandible are done.

A neuroscientist suggests ultrasound to the nerve root using vitamin E oil as the contactant on the skin. This is begun immediately and is done once or twice daily. Acupuncture began approximately on day 10. Treatments were done twice weekly.

Exhausting regimen

The regimen was almost exhausting. It seemed like the alarm to take another homeopathic or other supplement was going off incessantly. During the first week, improvement seemed slow. It seemed almost impossible to continue working with all of the interruptions.

But the “full court press” was continued without relenting. After 1 week, the improvement in the musculature was documentable on a daily basis. By day 12, resolution of symptoms was nearly complete, and after 2 weeks, it was nearly impossible to note any residual.

The resolution of this Bell’s palsy seemed almost too good to be true. It is an arguable point as to which modality was the responsible one. Was it a combination of these two, or those three. It will be impossible to know.

But, in fact, the patient really does not care who or what takes credit for the healing. He is simply glad to be healed. How do I know this? Because the patient is me.

In the literature, we constantly see suggestions that denigrate the relative validity of the various “alternative” treatments. They are frequently labeled as “of limited value.” They are not covered by insurance in general, so they are considered to be far too expensive.

Well, the next time you are faced with a Bell’s palsy, remember, you can use conventional wisdom and obtain conventional results. Or perhaps you will elect to use some of the “treatments” less mainstream and obtain a different result.

Years ago, when I was challenged with the reality that the conventional system did not offer me the results I wanted, I chose to “walk the road less traveled.” You may elect to do the same.

For Your Information:

• Peter R. Holyk, MD, is an ophthalmologist in private practice and owner of Contemporary Health Innovations, a consulting practice on nutritional medicine. Dr. Holyk is a developer of a commercially available anti-oxidant supplement, 4 Sight, for which he holds a financial interest. He can be reached at 600 Schuman Drive, Sebastian, FL 32958; (561) 388-5554; fax: (561) 388-2410; email: peter_holyk@email.msn.com.