2023 Volume 30 Issue 1 Pages 1-4
We present a severe case of treatment-resistant Bell's palsy that improved after long-term acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. The patient was a 67-year-old woman with Bell's palsy. Despite receiving steroid therapy for one month, her paralysis score was 0 on the Yanagihara 40-point system. She was referred to the Anesthesiology Department and underwent stellate ganglion block and SSP therapy nine times. Since her paralysis did not improve, acupuncture was performed once every one to three weeks. Further, she self-administered moxibustion at home almost every day. Her paralysis gradually improved, and her paralysis score rose to 22 after seven months of treatment. This case report highlights that acupuncture and moxibustion may be used to manage refractory Bell's palsy due to its low risk of complications, long continuity for chronic conditions, and convenience.
