What is Bell’s Palsy?
Bell’s Palsy is a facial disorder that causes sudden paralysis in the muscles of the face. It affects one side of the face at a time, giving the appearance of a lop-sided face and lack of an ability to blink. The disease is named after Sir Charles Bell, who presented cases of the condition at the Royal Society of London in 1829. According to research(1) in the Oto-Rhino-Laryngology publication, 15 out of 100,000 people are diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy per year. Use essential oils for bell’s palsy
Did You Know?
| Bell’s Palsy is named after Scottish Surgeon, Sir Charles Bell. However, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, a physician in Persia, is credited with discovering the condition as early as the 12th century! |
What Causes Bell’s Palsy?
The root cause of Bell’s palsy is in the nervous system of the human body. The condition usually happens when the seventh cranial nerve in the brain becomes swollen or compressed. The symptom has been discovered, but the trigger for the symptoms is yet unknown. It’s been speculated that the trigger is a viral infection. In fact, in one research(2), the herpes simplex one virus has been theorized as the one responsible for the disorder.
Best Essential Oils for Bell’s Palsy
1. Lavender Oil
Why Does It Work?
Lavender oil is an essential oil derived from a flower known as the Lavendula Angustifolia. It is commonly used for stress and anxiety relief. Besides its anxiety-relieving characteristics, lavender oil is also very effective in relieving pain due to nervous disorders. The oil reduces inflammation and soothes the pain and discomfort of Bell’s Palsy.
How to Use It and How Much?
You can mix 5-6 drops of lavender oil with any carrier oil such as coconut, and rub it onto your face and neck, especially in the affected area. This process can be repeated 3-4 times daily.
2. Peppermint Oil
Why Does It Work?
Peppermint oil is more commonly known as a flavor in chewing gums and beverages for consumption. However, it also has certain characteristics that render it an effective solution to accelerate healing from Bell’s Palsy.
The oil contains menthol, which helps soothe the pain and discomfort of Bell’s Palsy. Furthermore, there are certain antispasmodic components in the oil which comfort the nerves of the face.
How to Use It and How Much?
Mix 5-6 drops of Peppermint oil with any carrier oil such as coconut or castor, and rub it on the affected area. This process can be repeated 3-4 times daily.
[Read: Benefits of Peppermint Oil]
3. Rosemary Oil
Why Does It Work?
Rosemary facilitates the relieve of pain arising from facial paralysis. This essential oil has components which have a positive effect on the nervous system and the brain due to which it is an excellent solution to help improve your bell’s palsy, especially if the discomfort is recurring.
How to Use It and How Much?
You can mix 5-6 drops of rosemary oil with any carrier oil such as coconut oil and apply in gently massaging motion on the affected part. This process can be repeated 3-4 times daily.
[Read: Essential Oils for Nerve Pain]
4. Helichrysum Oil
Why Does It Work?
Helichrysum oil works in two ways for treating Bell’s Palsy. Firstly, it accelerates healing from skin bruising, if any. Secondly, the essential oil also has pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidizing characteristics, which enable it to reduce the pain and inflammation in the face muscles.
How to Use It and How Much?
Add 5-6 drops of Helichrysum oil with any carrier oil such as olive oil and apply gently on the face and neck area. This process can be repeated 2-3 times daily.
5. Sweet Marjoram Oil
Why Does It Work?
Derived from the Marjoram plant leaves, Marjoram essential oil is known to have antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal characteristics, which makes it a great remedy to fight viral infections. Some researchers believe that Bell’s Palsy is triggered by a virus, and the condition is shown to improve with the help of corticosteroids.
Sweet Marjoram Oil can be a potential treatment for the virus. Furthermore, the oil provides effective sedation from the pain, while also acting as an anti-inflammatory for nervous disorders such as Bell’s Palsy.
How to Use It and How Much?
Use any carrier oil as the solvent, add 5-6 drops of Sweet Marjoram oil and apply it gently on the affected area of the face and neck. Repeat the process 2-3 times daily.
[Read: Essential Oils for Sore Muscles]
6. Frankincense Oil
Why Does It Work?
Frankincense oil is mainly useful in treating the facial paralysis aspect of Bell’s Palsy as it has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
How to Use It and How Much?
Frankincense oil is an essential oil. Therefore, rubbing it directly onto the skin is not advised. You can take a mixture of 5-6 drops of the essential oil with any carrier oil, and then rub the mixture gently on the face.
[Read: Exercises for Bell’s Palsy]
7. Clove Oil
Why Does It Work?
Clove oil operates slightly differently from the other essential oils in terms of accelerating the healing of Bell’s Palsy. It reduces the healing time of the condition by improving the blood circulation, which can reduce pain and repair damage faster.
How to Use It and How Much?
Take a mixture of 5-6 drops of clove oil with any carrier oil, and then rub the mixture gently on the face.
Bell’s Palsy is not a notifiable disease, which implies that hospitals are not legally required to maintain registries of people with the condition. However, it does tend to create pain and discomfort to people who are unfortunate enough to suffer from the condition. Using the right essential oils in the right way can be a highly empowering solution for you or your loved ones to heal faster from the condition.
FAQs
1. What Essential Oils Are Good for Bell’s Palsy?
Essential oils not only provide relaxation but also help in accelerating recovery from the condition. The best essential oils to use for accelerating recovery and alleviating the pain of Bell’s Palsy are Frankincense, Lavender, Clove, Sweet Marjoram, Rosemary, Peppermint, and Helichrysum oil.
2. Can Bell’s Palsy Heal on Its Own?
Yes, Bell’s Palsy can better by itself with most people. However, you may need to take some precautions and use some traditional solutions to speed up the recovery and reduce the pain. Essential Oils are one of the traditional solutions.
3. What Is the Root Cause of Bell’s Palsy?
The root cause of Bell’s palsy is in the nervous system of the human body. The condition usually happens when the seventh cranial nerve in the brain becomes swelled or compressed. The symptom has been discovered, but the trigger for the symptom is yet unknown.
It’s been speculated that the trigger is a viral infection. In fact, in one research, the herpes simplex one virus has been theorized as the on responsible for the disorder.
