Bell's palsy is sometimes treated with electrical stimulation to the
muscles to prevent muscle atrophy while the axons regrow or remyelination
occurs. Electrical stimulation treatment is controversial as to whether
it retards the rate of neural recovery. Clearly Mr. Barins wasn't
talking about electroshock therapy, but did have electrical shocks
delivered to his facial muscles.
Laurie Lundy-Ekman, Ph.D., P.T.
School of Physical Therapy
Pacific University
Forest Grove, OR 97116
e-mail: lundyekl at pacificu.edu
On 17 Dec 1996, F. Frank LeFever wrote:
> 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
>>