Osteopathic manipulative treatment of a 26-year-old woman with Bell's palsy

David G. Lancaster, William Thomas Crow

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bell's palsy is caused by a lesion of the facial nerve and results in unilateral paralysis or paresis of the face. The condition affects approximately 23 in 100,000 persons, with onset typically occurring between the ages of 10 and 40 years. The authors report the case of a 26-year-old woman with Bell's palsy, whom they treated with osteopathic manipulative treatment that was focused on the enhancement of lymphatic circulation. The osteopathic manipulative procedures used involved reducing restrictions around four key diaphragms (thoracic outlet, respiratory diaphragm, suboccipital diaphragm, cerebellar tentorium), as well as applying the throracic pump, muscle energy, primary respiratory mechanism, and osteopathy in the cranial field. The authors, who were guided by the four principles of osteopathic philosophy, report that the patient's symptoms resolved within 2 weeks, during which two sessions of osteopathic manipulative treatment, each lasting approximately 20 minutes, were held. Patient recovery occurred without the use of pharmaceuticals.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)285-289
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of the American Osteopathic Association
Volume106
Issue number5
StatePublished - May 2006

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