Bell's palsy and treatment for long-term effects

In My Humble Opinion
1

I see a number of older threads about this condition, but none on really long-term effects, so I’m starting a new one.

30 years ago, I had Bell’s palsy. A few days ago I had a quick video visit with a doctor for something completely unrelated. I was wearing a mask because there was a nurse in the room with me, and after talking to me for 10 seconds the doctor asked “You had Bell’s palsy?” She said she could tell from the droop in my eye.

When I had it, the only treatment I was given was Aleve (I had bad pain with it, since 2 nerves were involved, the 5th and 7th) and acupuncture for lingering muscle weakness. My mouth was quite lopsided for years, and I couldn’t pucker well enough to whistle or drink with a straw or inflate a balloon. It did get better but still droops a bit, and now that I’m older I’ve developed a bracket wrinkle on that side of my mouth.

Reading up about it online now (very different from 30 years ago when I had an unhelpful, rushed doctor and had to look up information in medical encyclopedias), I see that there are lots of treatments available, including steroids and antivirals, plastic surgery and nerve transplants, as well as massage, exercises and physical therapy.

It must be way too late for steroids and antivirals, and I don’t really want or need plastic surgery. I found a website for a PT practice just 20 minutes away from me that says they’ve worked with Bell’s palsy patients, and I wonder whether it’s worth going to them? Maybe it’s not too late for physical therapy to have some effect and strengthen the droopy muscles? Or has there been too much nerve damage and atrophy after all this time?

2

I got it like twelve years ago. I took a heavy dose of steroids and then tapered them down over the course of a week. A paper had come out a few months before suggesting that the antivirals didn’t help so I didn’t get those.

For a few years my left eye would close when I yawned but now it just slightly winks.

3

I had Bell’s palsy on the right side of my face in 1994. After being seen in an ER (because I was worried it was a stroke), they sent me home with some anti-inflammatories. A friend of mine, who is a chiropractor, did a series of treatments with an ultrasound device, to massage the area, and try to promote blood flow and healing of the nerve.

I’m not sure if either the meds or the massages truly helped, but the condition cleared up after a month or so, never recurred, and appears to not have had a lingering effect.