Electroacupuncture as an Adjunctive Therapy for Bell's Palsy: A Case Report.

Bell's palsy is the most common cause of acute unilateral lower motor neuron-type facial nerve paralysis and is generally managed with early administration of corticosteroids, with or without antiviral therapy. Although most patients experience substantial recovery, a clinically meaningful subset-including older adults, individuals with delayed presentation, and those with comorbid medical conditions-may be left with incomplete resolution, with persistent facial weakness, asymmetry, or synkinesis. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been proposed as an adjunctive treatment modality for facial nerve recovery, with hypothesized mechanisms including enhanced neuromuscular activation, improved regional blood flow, modulation of local inflammatory responses, and facilitation of peripheral nerve regeneration. However, robust clinical evidence and detailed case-based documentation remain limited. We report the case of an 81-year-old male patient who presented with acute left-sided lower motor neuron-type facial paralysis. The diagnosis was consistent with Bell's palsy, after a cerebrovascular accident was excluded, and neuroimaging demonstrated no acute intracranial pathology. An integrative treatment approach incorporating acupuncture with low-frequency electrical stimulation was initiated on day 17 post-onset, targeting facial and cranial acupoints. EA treatment was administered twice weekly for seven weeks and was supplemented with conservative home-based interventions. Facial nerve function improved from House-Brackmann Grade IV at presentation to Grade I-II. While this case suggests that EA may have a role as an adjunctive therapy in Bell's palsy, including in patients with delayed presentation and less favorable prognostic features, its interpretation is limited by the single-case design and the known potential for spontaneous recovery. Accordingly, controlled prospective studies are warranted to further evaluate the efficacy, optimal timing, and clinical utility of EA in the management of acute facial nerve paralysis.