What is Bell’s Palsy / Facioplegia / Facial Paralysis / Pain Paralysis?
Bell’s Palsy is characterized by a sudden onset of unilateral facial muscle paralysis, muscle weakness and a distorted facial expression. This occurs as a result of trauma, compression experience and the inability to close the eye. This key symptom is the easiest way to diagnose which side of the body is affected. It is more accurate to diagnose the sick side by looking at the eye, rather than looking at distortions of the mouth.
To prevent permanent damage or blindness, it is imperative to address eye issues first. If the correct acupuncture points have been chosen, the patient will show a marked improvement in their ability to close the eye. With Dr Tan’s acupuncture balance method, the eyelid should close at least halfway by the end of the treatment.
What is the best treatment for Bell’s Palsy?
“Acupuncture 1, 2, 3” is one of the best acupuncture methods to get Bell’s palsy sufferers to recover fast. Patients will see the improvement in the first treatment. The eye may be able to close properly within 5 acupuncture session normally, and then the mouth can drink and eat properly within 15 treatments. Every case is different; it may take more than 15 acupuncture treatments or less to get completely better.
What other treatment for eye problems from facial nerve disorder?
Patients with facial nerve paralysis have difficulty keeping their eye closed because the muscles which close the eye cannot work. Serious complications can occur if the cornea of the eye becomes too dry.
Treatment for Bell’s Palsy consists of:
Protective glasses which can prevent dust from entering the eye;
Manual closure of the eye with a finger to keep it moist — patients should use the back of their finger rather than the tip to insure that the eye is not injured;
Artificial tears or ointments to help keep the eye lubricated;
Taping or patching the eye closed with paper tape while asleep; and
In cases in which recovery is incomplete, a temporary or permanent narrowing of the eye opening (Tarsorrhaphy) may be necessary.
Centre of Balance Treatment of Bell’s Palsy
Practitioners at Centre of Balance have experience in treating Bell’s Palsy. We are not allowed to put testimonials on our website due to advertising regulations, but one of our recent patients has put her own story of her treatment onto our facebook page. If you would like to read her story and see her remarkable before and after photos, just go to our facebook page and check out the visitor posts.
I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.
I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions. As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results. I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method. I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment. From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas. Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills. My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms. In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions. In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.
