Bell’s Palsy is an annoying medical condition that strikes with little warning . The symptoms are a slight drooping and paralysis of one side of the face. Biomedical medicine does not have any effective treatment or a solid understanding as to why this condition happens in some people.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, Bell’s Palsy is considered an attack of “wind in the channels”. That is not to say that there is actual wind caught in the body, but rather that the numbness and paralysis is considered an inappropriate response by the body to environmental wind. Everyone has had a time where the exposure to wind made them feel tense, drained and worn out. In some people this response to wind, becomes a localized over-response specifically in the face. Rapidly shifting autumn weather with fast moving storm fronts, rapid temperature shifts and wind, can catch people off guard making Bell’s palsy more likely.
A situation of wind in the channels happens when a person is overly affected by environmental stress like wind and is unable to recover quickly resulting in an ongoing response. Sometimes this happens when an otherwise healthy person is exposed to a lot of wind without the ability to rest and recover. Other times a person is in an unusually weak state that does not allow them to respond to the wind well. This can happen after a viral infection, while sleeping, or if the person is excessively tired, anemic or emotionally stressed. A combination of just the right conditions can lead to Bell’s palsy.
Western biomedical medicine does not have any treatments for this condition. In Chinese medicine there are acupuncture and herbal treatments that can speed the recovery of this condition. From a herbal medicine point of view, if the Bell’s palsy has just attacked within the last day or so, then herbs specific to clearing wind can be used to alleviate the symptoms. If the Bell’s palsy has been in place for a while, then the treatment is to use mild wind clearing herbs with herbs that strengthen blood function and nourishment to help the body recover.
The best advice is to keep yourself healthy and avoid being caught unprepared for the weather. For more information on wind and health check out; catching cold, Staying healthy through winter, Preparing for winter flu season.
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