In <32B60E07.7B8E at rohan.sdsu.edu> "Kristofer M. Barins"
<barins at rohan.sdsu.edu> writes:
>>I am 22 years old at San Diego State University and have had Bell's
>Palsy since late 1983. When I got Bell's Palsy I had a fever of 104,
and
>was taken to my Pediatrician who diagnosed it as B.P., and referred me
>and to a neurologist. The neurologist set me up with a CAT scan to
make
>sure it wasn't a brain tumor, or anything dangerous. The scan didn't
>show anything abnormal, so he began tratment for B.P. This consisted
on
>weekly shock therapy treatments (I am fairly sure about the time
between
>treatments, and 1 week sounds good). The treatments went on for some
>time, and got steadily more intesnive, as far as level of
>intensity(voltage). He said that mine was an rare case and that I
would
>probobly never regain full use of the right side of my face. Over the
>years I have had improvement. I feel that this thing is curable, and
was
>wondering if anyone could offer some light on the situation.
>>The B.P. came about shortly after a school camping trip where I did
>sleep outside with no tent (only a sleeping bag). I know that Lyme's
>disease can often be a contributing factor in a person contracting
B.P.,
>but was Lyme's disease a known problem c. 1984 in Northern California?
>and if not, could that have been overlooked as a possible cause of the
>B.P.?
>I have also heard anecdotal evidence of many people being inflicted
>after being exposed to cold breezes, air, etc... Is this confirmed or
>just a going theory?
>>Thank you again and any light that can be shed on this situation is
>gratly apprecisted.
>>-Kristofer
I would be interested in knowing the name and address of your
neurologist. I don't know an awful lot about Bell's palsy, but loooked
into it casually when a friend had it. My impression is that most
cases clear up spontaneously. Might be a basis for antibiotic
treatment, but "shock therapy"?? Surely you don't mean ECT!! That
would be bizarre unless you were so deeply depressed that you had
delusions of facial paralysis.
Frank