Bell's palsy is a condition in which the facial nerve on one side of the face becomes injured and paralyzed. This is usually caused by a virus that attacks and causes inflammation of the facial nerve. There are few traditional medical treatments for this condition, and those are only partially effective and limited by side effects. Researchers note that Vitamin B-12 may have a role in improving recovery time from Bell's palsy.
Symptoms
In Bell's palsy, damage occurs to the nerve that controls your facial movements. The paralysis is typically limited to one side of the face. A person with Bell's palsy has difficulty closing the affected eye and has trouble smiling because of a drooping mouth. Sometimes the symptoms are mild, but often the appearance of a person with Bell's palsy is very dramatic. Because the eyelid cannot close all the way, the eye becomes dry and the cornea can get scratched easily. It is also difficult to chew food on the affected side because the lips cannot close all the way. The patient may dribble food while trying to eat and may drool.
Traditional Treatment
Healing of the facial nerve can take many weeks and may be incomplete. One of the most common treatments for Bell's palsy is corticosteroids given intravenously or orally. They help decrease the inflammation around the affected nerve. Although they are useful, corticosteroids can have a number of side effects such as stomach ulcers, increased blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain and mood problems.
Another traditional treatment for Bell's palsy is the use of antiviral medications. These help reduce the amount of the virus that may be attacking and inflaming the facial nerve. There is mixed scientific data on whether they help or not. Similar to corticosteroids, antiviral medications can have side effects limiting their use. These side effects include rashes, dizziness, fatigue and toxic effects on the kidneys.
B-12 Treatment
The scientific data on B-12 for Bell's palsy is limited but encouraging. In a study of 60 patients with Bell's palsy who received 500-microgram B-12 injections three times a week or 5 mg lozenges up to eight times a day, they recovered from Bell's palsy within two weeks. The treatment group on B-12 alone was compared to two other groups, one on steroids and B-12 and one on steroids alone. The group on both B-12 and steroids took three weeks to improve and the patients in the steroid-only group took up to 10 weeks to improve. B-12 may help to heal Bell's palsy because the vitamin protects and supports the nervous system and may also act as an anti-inflammatory agent. More data needs to be collected to make a definitive statement about B-12 as a treatment for Bell's palsy.
B-12 Sources
B-12 is an important vitamin to help maintain a person's nervous system and blood supply. B-12 can be found in animal protein sources such as fish, meats, eggs, poultry and dairy products. Since B-12 is not found in plant-based foods, vegetarians and vegans would need to take an oral supplement. For those who cannot take oral supplements or have problems absorbing B-12 from the stomach, a monthly B-12 injection can be given by a doctor.
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