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Case Reports
. 2023 Jan 4:13:1088138.
doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1088138. eCollection 2022.

Acupuncture treatment of a pregnant patient with Bell's palsy in the third trimester: Case report

Danchun Lan  1 , Wenfei Deng  2 , Kunze He  3 , Qian Li  2 , Xin Peng  2 , Jinxiong Lao  1   2 , Ziyong Li  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Acupuncture treatment of a pregnant patient with Bell's palsy in the third trimester: Case report

Danchun Lan et al. Front Neurol. .

Abstract

At present, the optimal treatment for Bell's palsy remains controversial, and the combination of corticosteroids and antiviral medication is usually recommended in the early stage. However, treatment is often delayed because the effects of these drugs on pregnant women and fetuses are still unclear. As a safe and effective complementary alternative therapy, acupuncture can alleviate Bell's palsy symptoms and improve the quality of life of the patient. Herein, we report the clinical presentation of a 27-year-old woman with Bell's palsy who was 26 weeks pregnant at the time of diagnosis. After five courses of treatment, the patient made a complete recovery.

Keywords: Bell's palsy; acupuncture; case report; pregnant patient; third trimester.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline with relevant data from the episode of care.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A patient with left-sided Bell's palsy. (A) Incomplete closure of the left eye and disappearance of creases on the forehead. (B) Inability to lift the left eyebrow. (C) Asymmetrical smiling and shallow left nasolabial fold. The patient received five sessions of acupuncture treatment. (D) Symmetrical closure of the eye. (E) Forceful raising of the left eyebrow and evident creases on the forehead. (F) Symmetrical smiling and an obvious left nasolabial fold.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The locations of acupoints (16, 17).
Figure 4
Figure 4
The EMG data and the House–Brackmann scale changed when the treatment progressed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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