The Treatment of Facial Paralysis with Acupuncture
Chief Complaint: Facial Paralysis
Age: 47
Sex: F
98/09/04
SymptomsTick and deviation of the mouth after a quarrel with her mother-in-law, a week ago; A little high blood pressure, on the first consultation; Dizziness and headache; Pain on the healthy side (usually pain and contraction on the sick side, near the ear); Peripheral facial paralysis (she can’t close the right eye); Normal appetite, digestion, urine and bowels. Tongue: purple with purple spots, normal coating.
Pulse: wiry, thready.
Note: this is the fourth treatment. The numbness of the affected side has disappeared.
Aetiology and Pathogeny
This situation caused by emotional changes is more serious than the one caused by Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat.
Trembling is a sign of Liver-Wind. The disorders of Qi and Blood cause dizziness, headache and a lack of nourishment of the local region, causing the paralysis.
Diagnosis
Liver-Yang rising produced internal Wind which affected the free flow of Qi and Blood in the collaterals.
Principle of Treatment
Soothe the Liver; eliminate Wind; normalise collaterals to stop tick.
Acupuncture Points
Yangbai (GB 14)), Sibai (St 2), Dicang (St 4), Xiaguan (St 7) (on the affected side), Shuigou (Du 26), Shenting (Du 24): normalise the collaterals, for the deviation of the mouth;
Yintang: for dizziness and headache;
Hegu (LI 4) (left side), Taichong (Liv 3) (both sides):Hegu (LI 4)eliminates Wind and Taichong (Liv 3) soothes the Liver. These two points used together open the Four Gates.
Needle direction: towards the affected side.
98/09/07
Symptoms
The patient feels much better.
Acupuncture Points
Same points.
98/09/08
Symptoms
Dizziness and deviation of the mouth are better. She has spontaneous flow of saliva.
Acupuncture Points
Yangbai (GB14), Sibai (St 2), Dicang (St 4), Xiaguan (St 7) (on the affected side), Shuigou (Du 26), Shenting (Du 24), Yintang;
Hegu (LI 4) (left side), Taichong (Liv 3) (only the right side because the dizziness is better);
Quchi (LI 11): the patient feels numbness in her arm;
Lianquan (Ren 23): to control excess of saliva buy antibiotics online usa (this point is also good for loss of speech and stiffness of the tongue). We should press this point before inserting the needle, to relieve the pain sensation.
98/09/09
Symptoms
The patient feels better.
Acupuncture Points
Same points.
98/09/10
Symptoms
The patient has too many family problems and she? very nervous. This morning she had cramps on both calves.
Aetiology and Pathogeny
The cramps on calves are a symptom of Liver-Qi Stagnation. The Empty-Heat causes the cramps.
Acupuncture Points
Yangbai
(Gb14), Sibai (St 2), Dicang (St 4), Xiaguan (St 7) (on the affected side), Shuigou (Du 26), Shenting (Du 24), Yintang;
Hegu (LI 4) (left side), Taichong (Liv 3);
Quchi (LI 11);
Lianquan (Ren 23);
Qiuxu (GB 40): this point relieves the cramps (Liver corresponds to Gallbladder). This point is indicated for cramps on the calves (Chengshan (B 57) and Feiyang (B 58) are also good to cramps on the calves, but once the patient will be treated on the anterior part of her body, we use Qiuxu (GB 40). Yanglingquan (GB 34) is also good for cramps, but is very close to the knee and the problem is on the calves)
98/09/11
Symptoms
The cramps on the calves are much better. The patient can almost close her eye and the mouth is almost in the right position.
Acupuncture Points
Dicang (St 4), Xiaguan (St 7) (on the affected side), Shuigou (Du 26),Yintang;
Hegu (LI 4) (left side), Taichong (Liv 3);
Quchi (LI 11);
Lianquan (Ren 23);
Qiuxu (GB 40).
Note: Yangbai (GB 14) and Sibai (St 2) aren? used because the eye is better. Chengjiang (Ren 24) isn? used because the mouth is almost in the right position.
98/09/15
Symptoms
Almost all the symptoms disappeared. Today is the last treatment.
Acupuncture Points
Dicang (St 4) (right side);
Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (Liv 3) (both sides);
Zusanli (St 36) (both sides).
Courtesy of:
Paulo Franco, Imtiaz Sidik and Sylvia Rodrigues
Medicorp
Rua Professor Vitor Fontes, n 10 E R/C
Telheiras
Lisboa
1600
Portugal
21-757 65 60
Last modified: September 6, 2009 
Tags: Acupuncture, facial paralysis В· Posted in: Neurological
