Bell’s palsy is an acute facial nerve paralysis that has been treated using acupuncture for thousands of years. Fourteen randomized controlled trials involving 1541 individuals, including both adults and children, comparing acupuncture with other therapies for Bell’s palsy were included in a 2015 systematic review.
Research results indicate that acupuncture and electroacupuncture may:
Improve nerve dysfunction
Decrease paralysis severity
Increase functional recovery
References:
Gökçe Kütük S, Özkan Y, Topuz MF, Kütük M. The Efficacy of Electro-Acupuncture Added to Standard Therapy in the Management of Bell’s Palsy. The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. 2020 May. DOI: 10.1097/scs.0000000000006537.
Li, P., Qiu, T., & Qin, C. (2015). Efficacy of Acupuncture for Bell's Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. PloS one, 10(5), e0121880.