Acupuncture Treatment for Facial Paralysis
General Data
Four females aged 31, 56, 60, and 73; two males aged 34 and 61. Two female cases were right-sided facial paralysis, others were left-sided.
Main Symptoms:
Mouth deviation, shallow nasolabial groove, inability to close eyelids, unable to frown, puff cheeks, furrow brows, pout lips, drooping corner of mouth when smiling, face pulled toward healthy side, pale red tongue, thin white or slightly yellow coating, floating rapid or wiry fine pulse.
Treatment Methods:
Primarily acupuncture with manual techniques, no drugs or electroacupuncture used. Principle: Expel wind, unblock collaterals.
Prescription: Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3), Qianzheng (EX-HN1), Jiache (ST6) to Dicang (ST4), Dicang (ST4) to Jiache (ST6), Fengchi (GB20), Xiaguan (ST7), Yingxiang (LI20), Chengjiang (CV24) or Jia-Chengjiang (ST6). Select three or four points per session.
Modification: For inability to close eyelids or excessive tearing, add Zanzhu (BL2), Yuyao (EX-HN1), Sizhukong (TE18), and Yangbai (GB1) to Yuyao (EX-HN1). For postauricular pain, add Yifeng (SJ17). For diminished taste, add Lianquan (CV23). Technique: Balanced tonification and dispersion, lifting and thrusting method.
Procedure: Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3), Fengchi (GB20) use dispersive method; Xiaguan (ST7), Qianzheng (EX-HN1), Yingxiang (LI20) use horizontal insertion with balanced tonification and dispersion. Yangbai (GB1) inserted downward horizontally through Yuyao (EX-HN1); Dicang (ST4) inserted horizontally toward Jiache (ST6); Jiache (ST6) inserted obliquely toward Dicang (ST4), using lifting and thrusting technique to induce backward contraction of facial muscles. Retain needles for 20 minutes. All other points use balanced tonification and dispersion.
Efficacy: All six cases achieved clinical cure within one course (10 sessions).
Differential Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is not difficult based on onset pattern and clinical features. This condition should be differentiated from central facial paralysis, facial nerve paralysis caused by acute infectious polyneuritis, and facial nerve paralysis due to posterior fossa inflammation or tumors.
Experience:
This condition often arises due to deficiency of vital energy, empty collateral channels, weakened defensive Qi, allowing wind pathogen to invade the meridians, obstructing qi and blood flow, depriving the face of nourishment from the Foot-Yangming channel, resulting in flaccid, relaxed muscles. Modern medicine has not yet clarified the exact etiology, though it is generally believed to result from local inflammation, such as rheumatic facial neuritis, mastoid periostitis, or mumps. During early stages (within one week), inflammation is still developing; thus, acupuncture should use fewer points and light stimulation, or delay treatment for one week. If untreated properly or if prolonged, the condition shifts from excess to deficiency, impairing qi and blood supply to Yangming, causing muscle atrophy, numbness, even facial twitching, or irreversible facial deviation. Acupuncture treatment is feasible and effective, widely applicable to benefit patients.