You can sleep on any side you want too although some people with Bell's palsy prefer to sleep on the opposite side of the affected eye.
You can also use an eye patch to help you sleep and help keep the eye closed.
The ointment that is good for Bell's palsy is mineral oil/white petrolatum ointment that is applied into your lower eyelid prior to bedtime.
Some of these ointments for Bell's palsy include Refresh P.M. Refresh Lacri-Lube and Soothe Night Time Ointment,
The fastest way to recover from Bell's palsy is to take antiviral medication within the first few days or oral steroids within the first few days of the onset of the Bell's palsy.
Your doctor may also prescribe lubricating eye drops or an eye ointment to protect the affected eye.
You can also do physiotherapy or face massages to help yourself recover from Bell's palsy.
People get Bell's palsy most often as a result of a viral infection which inflames or swells the nerve that controls the facial muscles and it may be mild or severe.
Bell's palsy can be caused by stress as a result of impaired immunity when you're stressed out.
Other triggers for Bell's palsy include an existing or dormant viral infection like chickenpox, herpes simplex virus, sleep deprivation, physical trauma, autoimmune syndromes and other minor illnesses.
It is good to massage your face when you have Bell's palsy which is also the best way to prevent synkinesis which is a possible complication of Bell's palsy and facial palsy.
Because the facial sensation is intact with Bell's palsy the massage within your pain tolerance is safe and important intervention to keep flaccid muscles elastic and also well nourished.
If you have Bell's palsy you should avoid foods that are stringy or chewy and avoid foods with pips, skins, husks or shells which include lettuce, raw tomatoes, chewy meats, peas, baked beans, sweet corn etc.
Also don't stop taking any medications or change your dose because you feel better unless you doctor says to do so and do not reduce your activity level and stay as active as possible.
Rest does not help Bell's palsy and staying active can help.
If the Bell's palsy is affecting your ability to work then you should be off of work until the Bell's palsy has gone away which can be a few weeks to a few months.
However since most cases of Bell's palsy are not contagious you can go to work if you are able to.
You can go to work with Bell's palsy as long as it is not affecting your ability to perform your job.
Many people with Bell's palsy are able to work although some people may need to overcome some barriers and have reasonable adjustments, flexibility in working arrangements etc.
Bell's palsy is not contagious unless it's caused by a virus and so you cannot spread the Bell's palsy on to someone else.
If Bell's palsy is left untreated it will most often go away within a few months or so without any harm although in more severe cases the untreated Bell's palsy may cause permanent facial weakness.
Bell's palsy can go away and most cases of Bell's palsy go away and are not permanent.
Although in rare cases Bell's palsy can be permanent and not go away and there is no known cure for Bell's palsy although recovery begins most often within 2 weeks to 6 weeks from the onset of the symptoms of Bell's palsy.
You don't always need to go to the ER for Bell's palsy but if you have any facial weakness or drooping you should go to the ER immediately.
Most cases of Bell's palsy go away on their own within a few months but the symptoms of Bell's palsy are similar to a serious medical issue like a stroke so you should seek medical attention if you notice muscle weakness in your face.
Treatment for Bell's palsy include antiviral medicine or oral steroids which can be taken in the first couple of days from the onset of Bell's palsy.
These medications can improve your chance of a full recovery from Bell's palsy and your doctor may also prescribe some lubricating eye drops or eye ointment to protect the affected eye.
Face massage or physiotherapy may also be recommended.
There are warning signs before Bell's palsy which include discomfort behind your ear before weakness is noticed.
Your face will usually feel stiff or pulled to one side and may look different and other signs of Bell's palsy are the difficulty in closing of one eye.
Symptoms of Bell's palsy come on suddenly and can include mild weakness to total paralysis on one side of the face occurring within hours to days.
Facial droop and trouble making facial expressions, such as closing an eye or smiling and drooling.
Bell's palsy is not a mini stroke and Bell's palsy is not caused by a stroke or mini stroke although the symptoms of a stroke and Bell's palsy are similar.
Strokes and mini strokes can also cause numbness on one side of the body or face and weakness in the arms and legs on one side.
But Bell's palsy never presents with weakness of the arms or legs or difficulty moving the tongue or the eyes.
Regardless of which symptoms are seen, medical attention is needed quickly for Bell's palsy or a stroke.
Bell palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis.
Bell palsy begins suddenly and can get worse over 48 hours.
This condition results from damage to the facial nerve (the 7th cranial nerve).
Pain and discomfort usually occur on one side of the face or head.
Synkinesis in Bell's palsy is involuntary and undesirable facial movements (aka “simultaneous movement”) associated with voluntary facial movements.
An example of Synkinesis in Bell's palsy is when one of your eyes closes when you smile.
The Synkinesis in Bell's palsy often develops in people who have had or has Bell's Palsy.
Synkinesis will not go away completely.
However, with continued therapy that may include facial retraining, chemodenervation, and other treatments such as mindfulness, the severity of synkinesis can be reduced.
People dealing with synkinesis can experience facial muscle spasms and other unwanted movements that impact their quality of life.
Selective neurolysis is the best surgical treatment for most people with partial facial paralysis and synkinesis.
Facial re-education” is sometimes used to help minimize the effects of synkinesis after Bell's palsy.
It involves teaching a person how to perform various facial exercises, such as keeping the face up when speaking and chewing food with the eyes open.
Synkinesis can cause pain, but neuromuscular retraining is used to help people reduce or eliminate this issue.
Thanks to physical therapy, a person can use exercises to strengthen facial muscles affected by synkinesis.
As a person performs these exercises, pain may decline accordingly.
Post-paralytic facial synkinesis after facial nerve injury produces functional disabilities and mimetic deficits, but also cosmetic and non-motor psychosocial impairments for the patients.