Bell's Palsy

[Bellabab]

My daughter has just been diagnosed with Bell's and has PA as do I. As Bell's is caused by nerve damage, some of which is believed to be due to viral infections although by no means certain I am wondering if it is due to nerve damage caused by B12 deficiency? Whatever the cause it seems B12 helps nerves recover from damage and I am wondering if she increased her injections from monthly to every other day it would help with her recovery. Any ideas or experience would be welcomed.

[Marymary7]

No expert but I remember reading that with Bells Palsy the doctor should give you a large dose of steroids at the start of it. My husband had this and it resolved without perminent damage to his features, he went back to normal. He wasn't b12 deficient so maybe was lucky. Hope she gets better soon.

[Kerrierach]

Many people have been misdiagnosed with bell’s Palsy when in fact it was B12 deficiency. I have spoken to two people who reversed the damage with frequent B12 injections

[fbirder]

A B12 deficiency tends not to affect the facial nerves (except the optic nerve), and it also tends to cause damage symmetrically, whereas Bell's tends to affect just one side.

There are plenty of anecdotes about various things helping with Bell's but, as it tends to decline with steroid treatment, it's impossible to say if any of them worked, or if it would have got better without them.

Trying more frequent injections can't make it worse, so it's probably worth trying. But in combination with steroids.