Dr ArbabHabib PT, DPT

Some Important Medical Abbreviations *

> *Rx* = Treatment
> *Hx* = History
> *Dx* = Diagnosis
> *q* = Every
> *qd* = Every day
> *qod* = Every other day
> *qh* = Every Hour
> *S* = without
> *SS* = One & half
> *C* = With
> *SOS* = If needed
> *AC* = Before Meals
> *PC* = After meals
> *BID* = Twice a Day
> *TID* = Thrice a Day
> *QID* = Four times a day
> *OD* = Once a Day
> *BT* = Bed Time
> *hs* = Bed Time
> *BBF* = Before Breakfast
> *BD* = Before Dinner
> *Tw* = Twice a week
> *SQ* = sub cutaneous
> *IM* = Intramuscular
> *ID* = Intradermal
> *IV* = Intravenous
> *Q4H* = (every 4 hours)
> *QOD* = (every other day)
> *HS* = (at bedtime)
> *PRN* = (as needed)
> *PO or "per os"* (by mouth)
> *Mg* = (milligrams)
> *Mcg/ug* = (micrograms)
> *G or Gm* = (grams)
> *1TSF* (Teaspoon) = 5 ml
> *1 Tablespoonful* =15ml
~ *DDx* =differential Diagnosis
*Tx* =Treatment
*RTx* =Radiotherapy
*CTx* =Chemotherapy
*R/O* =rule out
*s.p* =status post
*PMH(x)* =post medical history
*Px* =Prognosis
*Ix* =Indication
*CIx* =contraindication
*Bx* =biopsy
*Cx* =complication.


Dr ArbabHabib PT, DPT
Dr-Arbab Habib Physiotherapist

In criminal proceedings, the finding of a fractured hyoid bone
is considered to be strong evidence of strangulation.

Dr ArbabHabib PT, DPT
Dr-Arbab Habib Physiotherapist

Dr ArbabHabib PT, DPT
Dr-Arbab Habib Physiotherapist



A Doctor of Physical Therapy or Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) degree is a qualifying degree in physical therapy. The training includes advanced professional training and doctoral-level research.

History.

In 1992, the University of Southern California initiated the first post-professional "transitional" (DPT) program in the United States.[4] This "transitional" DPT takes into account a physical therapist's current level of knowledge and skill and purports to offer programs that upgrade clinical skills to meet the needs of the current health care environment.[5][6] Creighton University followed by initiating the first entry-level DPT program in 1993.

The Doctor of Physiotherapy has since been adopted in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan.[citation needed] In the United Kingdom and Australia, the PhD or Professional Doctorate in Physiotherapy is offered by a number of Universities. These programs are usually professional entry masters level programs, with the opportunity to undertake research to lead to a doctorate degree. Alternatively, these programs are masters pre-qualifying Physiotherapy courses with an enhanced research element in the final phase of the course that leads to undertaking a doctorate. The first full pre-qualifying Doctorate in Physiotherapy program in the United Kingdom was accredited in 2017 at Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow.[citation needed]

In 2000, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) passed its Vision 2020 statement, which states (in part):

"By 2020, physical therapy will be provided by physical therapists who are doctors of physical therapy, recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as the practitioners of choice to whom consumers have direct access for the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities related to movement, function, and health."[12]
As this statement highlights, the DPT program is an integral part of the APTA's continued advocacy for legislation granting consumers (i.e. patients and clients) direct access to physical therapists, rather than requiring physician referral. Direct access is said to decrease wait times for access to care and even help reduce both cost to consumer and overall healthcare costs.[13] As of January 1, 2015, all 50 states and the District of Columbia allow some form of direct access to physical therapists.[14]
The post-professional DPT (Transitional) degree is designed to provide the doctoral credential to those who currently holding a master's or bachelor's degree in the field. Post-professional DPT (Transitional) degree programs are typically offered on a primarily online learning model and are often one year in length.
The use of the title doctor by physical therapists and other non-physician health care professionals has been debated.[28] In a letter to The New York Times, the president of the American Physical Therapy Association responded:
"To provide accurate information to consumers, the American Physical Therapy Association has taken a proactive approach and provides clear guidelines for physical therapists regarding the use of the title "Doctor." These guidelines state that physical therapists, in all clinical settings, who hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT) shall indicate they are physical therapists when using the title "Doctor" or "Dr," and shall use the titles in accord with jurisdictional law."[29]
In 2007, the DPT degree has been described as an example of "credential creep" or degree inflation in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Citing concerns that the DPT, and similar professional doctorates in areas such as occupational therapy, do not meet the standards of traditional doctorate degrees, the journal states: "The six-and-a-half-year doctor of physical therapy, or DPT, is rapidly replacing a six-year master's degree ... The American Physical Therapy Association ... has not set separate requirements for doctoral programs. To be accredited they need only to meet the same requirements as master's programs.

Threlkeld et al. suggested that the scope of existing physical therapy curricula already (in 1999) matched that of a professional doctorate, further submitting that students of a well-defined DPT program "will have earned the right to be recognized by the doctoral title".

Professional degree (entry-level.
The professional (entry-level) DPT degree is currently the degree conferred by all physical therapist professional programs upon successful completion of a three- to four-year post-baccalaureate degree program in the United States, preparing the graduate to enter the practice of physical therapy. Admission requirements for the program include completion of an undergraduate degree that includes specific prerequisite coursework, volunteer experience (or other exposure to the profession), and completion of a standardized graduate examination (e.g., GRE).

Typical prerequisite courses may include two semesters of anatomy and physiology with labs, two semesters of physics with labs, two semesters of chemistry with labs, a general course in psychology, another course in psychology, statistics, two semesters of biology, and may include other courses required by specific schools.
The physical therapist curriculum consists of foundational sciences (i.e., gross anatomy, cellular histology, embryology, neurology, neuroscience, kinesiology, physiology, exercise physiology, pathology, pharmacology, radiology/imaging, medical screening), behavioral sciences (communication, social and psychologic factors, ethics and values, law, business and management sciences, clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice), and clinical sciences (cardiovascular/pulmonary, endocrine and metabolic, gastrointestinal and genitourinary, integumentary, musculoskeletal, neuromuscular). Coursework also includes material specific to the practice of physical therapy (patient/client management model, prevention, wellness, and health promotion, practice management, management of care delivery, social responsibility, advocacy, and core values). Additionally, students have to engage in full-time clinical practice under the supervision of licensed physical therapists with an expectation of providing safe, competent, and effective physical therapy.

Physical therapists also have the ability to pursue specialty certifications, where they become board certified clinical specialists. Becoming a certified specialist allows the therapist to earn credentials that represents further dedication to patient care. It gives the opportunity for professional growth and positions in leadership and service. This specialization is done by building a broad foundation of professional education then building a skill set related to the particular specialization area. The certifications given in the specific areas are: cardiovascular and pulmonary, clinical electrophysiology, geriatrics, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, sports physical therapy, wound care, and women's health.

Physical therapists can provide various modalities of treatment for the patient. The modalities include: ultrasound, electrical stimulation, traction, joint mobilization, massage, heat, ice, kinesiology taping, and many more. Forms of treatment depends on the therapist's preference of treatment and the clinics equipment availability. Based on the patient, specific types of treatment might be better suited. Therapists might also find different modalities not as effective as others. However, some modalities might not be possible due to the clinics restrictions on space and equipment availability.

World Physiotherapy.
Founded in 1951, World Physiotherapy is the sole international voice for physiotherapy, representing more than 625,000 physiotherapists worldwide through its 121 member organisations.[1] World Physiotherapy is the operating name of World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT).
World Physiotherapy
Founded
1951
Type
NGO
President
Michel Landry
CEO
Jonathon Kruger
Website
www.world.physio
World Physiotherapy is committed to furthering the physiotherapy profession and improving global health. It believes every individual is entitled to the highest possible standard of culturally appropriate healthcare, delivered in an atmosphere of trust and respect for human dignity, and underpinned by sound clinical reasoning and scientific evidence.[2]
World Physiotherapy is a non-profit organisation and is registered as a charity in the UK. It has been in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) since 1952,[3] collaborating on work programmes to improve world health. It works with a wide range of other international bodies and is a member of the World Health Professions Alliance.[4]

Vision and mission.

World Physiotherapy's vision is to move physiotherapy forward so the profession is recognised globally for its significant role in improving health and wellbeing.
As the international voice of physiotherapy World Physiotherapy's mission is to:
unite the profession internationally
represent physical therapy and physical therapists internationally
promote high standards of physical therapy practice, education and research
facilitate communication and information exchange among member organisations, regions, subgroups and their members
collaborate with national and international organisations
contribute to the improvement of global health.

Activity.

World Physiotherapy provides services to its member organisations, campaigns to improve world health, and produces policies and guidelines. It encourages high standards of physiotherapy and global health by facilitating the exchange of information and producing resources.

All of its activities are shaped and informed by research. In 2013, a study reported which World Physiotherapy countries/territories allow physiotherapy direct access.[5] A 2020 study reported which World Physiotherapy countries/territories allow physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging.[6]

World Physiotherapy’s website is the hub of its information sharing activity.

History and growth.

Founded in 1951 by 11 national physiotherapy organizations from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, West Germany, Sweden, and the United States of America.[7]

The first international congress and second general meeting were held in London in 1953, where the first executive committee was elected.

World Physiotherapy has developed statements, including Education Guidelines, to support the development of the profession. It has developed a structure of five regions, and close relationships with international independent organisations of physiotherapists with specific interests – 14 of which are now recognised as subgroups of World Physiotherapy.

World Physiotherapy Congress.

World Physiotherapy holds a congress every two years, where the world of physiotherapy meets.

The World Physiotherapy Congress is the largest international gathering of physiotherapists, bringing together clinicians, educators, researchers, managers, and policy makers. The next congress will be in April 2021 in Dubai, UAE.

Previous congresses.

2019 Geneva, Switzerland - (Congress proceedings)
2017 Cape Town, South Africa
2015 Singapore
2011 Amsterdam, Netherlands
2007 Vancouver, Canada
2003 Barcelona, Spain
1999 Yokohama, Japan
1995 Washington DC, United States
1991 London, UK
1987 Sydney, Australia
1982 Stockholm, Sweden
1978 Tel Aviv, Israel
1974 Montreal, Canada
1970 Amsterdam, Netherlands
1967 Melbourne, Australia
1963 Copenhagen, Denmark
1959 Paris, France
1956 New York City, United States
1953 London, UK.

Thoracic Scoliosis Management.
Segmantal Manipulation per week.
Passives stretching of the regional muscles per week.
And the exercises 10 reps and 2 sets per day.
Dr ArbabHabib PT, DPT
Dr-Arbab Habib Physiotherapist

Approximately 220 individual muscles, which differ in shape and size, make up the striated muscles. Overall, these are muscles of the (what are often referred to as skeletal muscles). The musdes of facial expression and masticatory muscles of active musculoskeletal system muscles of the tongue, pha· rynx. larynx, eye, and tympanum are similar the face and the in to these muscles. Within the skeletal muscles (extrafusal musdes), for functional form reasons, one differentiates between postural of the skeletal and phasic muscles. Two thirds muscles are located in the lower limb region and mainly help to hold the body in an erect position in the field of gravity (- antigravity- postural- muscles) and in movement(- locomotion - phasic muscles). Depending on gender, age, and physical condition, the skeletal muscles account on average for 40% of the total weight of a person and are thus the heaviest organ. They consist of up to 75% water, 20% proteins (mainly f1oar digi!XItum longus contractile proteins of muscles: myosin, actin, troponln, and tropomyosin), 2% low molecular weight organic components (e.g., trlglyc- erldes), and 3% Inorganic components (e.g., calcium Ions). As people age, their percentage of muscle mass decreases, and their per- cent-age of fat increases.
Dr ArbabHabib PT, DPT
Dr-Arbab Habibullah Physiotherapist

Anatomy of Head and neck and muscles.
1.Bones of skull.
2.Bones of face.
3.Important land marks of head and neck.
4.Muscles of head and face.
5.muscles of neck.
6.nerves of head and neck.
7.blood supply of head and neck.
8.lymphatic supply of head and neck.
Dr ArbabHabib PT, DPT
Dr-Arbab Habibullah Physiotherapist

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common conditions causing heel pain. It involves inflammation of the plantar fascia — a tough, fibrous band of tissue that runs along the sole of the foot. The plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone (calcaneus) and to the base of the toes. It helps support the arch of the foot and has an important role in normal foot mechanics during walking.

Tension or stress in the plantar fascia increases when you place weight on the foot, such as withstanding. The tension also increases when you push off on the ball of the foot and toes. Both of these motions occur during normal walking or running. With overuse or in time, the fascia loses some of its elasticity or resilience and can become irritated with routine daily activities.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

Inflammation and pain in the fascia can be caused by:

An increase in activity level (like starting a walking or running program)

The structure or shape of the foot

The surface on which you are standing, walking or running

The type of shoes you are wearing

The weight you carry

Less commonly, plantar fasciitis may develop due to other medical conditions, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

The pain of plantar fasciitis usually increases gradually and is typically felt near the heel. Sometimes the pain can be sudden, occurring after missing a step or jumping from a height. The pain tends to be the worst when you get up in the morning or after other periods of inactivity. That’s why it is known as first-step pain. The degree of discomfort can sometimes lessen with activity during the day or after warming up but it can become worse after prolonged or vigorous activity. The pain may also appear more intense in bare feet or in shoes with minimal support.

Plantar Fasciitis Diagnosis

Plantar fasciitis is one of many conditions causing heel pain. Some other possible causes include:

Nerve compression in the foot or in the back

Stress fracture of the calcaneus

Loss of the fatty tissue pad under the heel

Plantar fasciitis can be distinguished from these and other conditions based on medical history and examination by a physician.

Heel spurs are often wrongly thought to be the sole cause of heel pain. Although they are common, they are nothing more than the bone's response to traction or pulling forces from the plantar fascia and other foot muscles. Heel spurs often don’t cause any pain. A truly enlarged and problematic spur requiring surgery is rare.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

In general, the longer the symptoms have been present and the more severe the pain, the longer the treatment may take. Additionally, high-demand athletes, such as cross-country or marathon runners, may require a longer course of treatment.

Plantar fasciitis treatment options include:

Stretching and Physical Therapy

Stretching is one of the best treatments for plantar fasciitis. Stretching should be focused on the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon. A physical therapist can show you stretching exercises that you can repeat at home several times a day. Along with stretching, the exercises can also strengthen your lower leg muscles, helping stabilize your ankle.

Icing and Medication

Icing the sore spot on your sole several times a day may help with pain and inflammation. Your doctor may also recommend nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medication.

Rest, Activity Modification and Orthotics

It helps to keep the weight and stress off your foot, at least partially, while your plantar fascia is healing. Your doctor may recommend a combination of the following:

Changing to a more shock-absorbing exercise surface

Switching to shoes with arch support or trying heel cups or other orthotics to cushion the heel

Applying athletic tape to your foot to support muscles and ligaments

Wearing night splints to continue stretching your foot while you sleep

Decreasing distances and duration of walking or running

Switching from jumping or running to swimming or cycling

Shock Wave Therapy

This therapy is based on delivering low-energy or high-energy shock waves to a specific area. The shock waves create microscopic trauma, which triggers a healing response from the body. This process is thought to help promote healing in the plantar fascia.

Steroid Injections

In most cases, plantar fasciitis improves after a few months of stretching. If your symptoms continue after two months of treatment, your doctor may recommend steroid injections to decrease inflammation.

Gastrocnemius Recession

Surgery is rarely needed for plantar fasciitis but is an option in severe cases. The surgery for plantar fasciitis is called gastrocnemius recession or gastrocnemius release. The goal is to lengthen the gastroc tendon, which is a part of the Achilles tendon. There is a known connection between the tension in the Achilles tendon and the tension in plantar fascia. This surgery may be recommended for patients who have an equinus contracture tightness in the calf muscles and tendons that leads to the inability to hold a foot in a neutral position (a 90-degree angle to the leg).
Dr-Arbab Habibullah Physiotherapist

Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, involves stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. Signs and symptoms typically begin slowly, then get worse. Over time, symptoms get better, usually within 1 to 3 years.

Having to keep a shoulder still for a long period increases the risk of developing frozen shoulder. This might happen after having surgery or breaking an arm.

Treatment for frozen shoulder involves range-of-motion exercises. Sometimes treatment involves corticosteroids and numbing medications injected into the joint. Rarely, arthroscopic surgery is needed to loosen the joint capsule so that it can move more freely.

It's unusual for frozen shoulder to recur in the same shoulder. But some people can develop it in the other shoulder, usually within five years.

Symptoms

Frozen shoulder typically develops slowly in three stages.

Freezing stage. Any movement of the shoulder causes pain, and the shoulder's ability to move becomes limited. This stage lasts from 2 to 9 months.

Frozen stage. Pain might lessen during this stage. However, the shoulder becomes stiffer. Using it becomes more difficult. This stage lasts from 4 to 12 months.

Thawing stage. The shoulder's ability to move begins to improve. This stage lasts from 5 to 24 months.

For some people, the pain worsens at night, sometimes disrupting sleep.

Causes

The shoulder joint is enclosed in a capsule of connective tissue. Frozen shoulder occurs when this capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, restricting its movement.

It's unclear why this happens to some people. But it's more likely to happen after keeping a shoulder still for a long period, such as after surgery or an arm fracture.

Risk factors

Certain factors may increase the risk of developing frozen shoulder.

Age and s*x

People 40 and older, particularly women, are more likely to have frozen shoulder.

Immobility or reduced mobility

People who've had to keep a shoulder somewhat still are at higher risk of developing frozen shoulder. Restricted movement can be the result of many factors, including:

Rotator cuff injury

Broken arm

Stroke

Recovery from surgery

Systemic diseases

People who have certain diseases appear more likely to develop frozen shoulder. Diseases that might increase risk include:

Diabetes

Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)

Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)

Cardiovascular disease

Parkinson's disease

Prevention

One of the most common causes of frozen shoulder is not moving a shoulder while recovering from a shoulder injury, broken arm or stroke. If you've had an injury that makes it difficult to move your shoulder, talk to your health care provider about exercises that can help you maintain your ability to move your shoulder joint.

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, a health care provider might ask you to move your arm in certain ways. This is to check for pain and see how far you can move your arm (active range of motion). Then you might be asked to relax your muscles while the provider moves your arm (passive range of motion). Frozen shoulder affects both active and passive range of motion.

Frozen shoulder can usually be diagnosed from signs and symptoms alone. But imaging tests — such as Xrays, ultrasound or MRI — can rule out other problems.

Most frozen shoulder treatment involves controlling shoulder pain and preserving as much range of motion in the shoulder as possible.

Medications

Pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) can help reduce pain and inflammation associated with frozen shoulder. In some cases, a health care provider might prescribe stronger pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Therapy

A physical therapist can teach you range-of-motion exercises to help recover your shoulder movement. Your commitment to doing these exercises is necessary to regain as much movement as possible.

Surgical and other procedures

Most frozen shoulders get better on their own within 12 to 18 months. For severe or persistent symptoms, other treatments include:

Steroid injections. Injecting corticosteroids into the shoulder joint might help decrease pain and improve shoulder mobility, especially if given soon after frozen shoulder begins.

Hydrodilatation. Injecting sterile water into the joint capsule can help stretch the tissue and make it easier to move the joint. This is sometimes combined with a steroid injection.

Shoulder manipulation. This procedure involves a medication called a general anesthetic, so you'll be unconscious and feel no pain. Then the care provider moves the shoulder joint in different directions to help loosen the tightened tissue.

Surgery. Surgery for frozen shoulder is rare. But if nothing else helps, surgery can remove scar tissue from inside the shoulder joint. This surgery usually involves making small incisions for small instruments guided by a tiny camera inside the joint (arthroscopy).

Alternative medicine

Acupuncture

Acupuncture uses hair-thin, flexible needles put into the skin at certain points on the body. Typically, the needles remain in place for 15 to 40 minutes. The needles are not generally put in very far. Most acupuncture treatments are relatively painless.

Nerve stimulation

A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit delivers a tiny electrical current to key points on a path that a nerve follows. The current, delivered through electrodes taped to the skin, isn't painful or harmful. It's not known exactly how TENS works. It might cause the release of molecules that curb pain (endorphins) or block fibers that carry pain.
Dr-Arbab Habibullah Physiotherapist

What is Bell's palsy?

Bell's palsy is a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face. One of the nerves that controls muscles in your face becomes injured or stops working properly.

Symptoms include:

Sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of your face A drooping eyebrow and mouth Drooling from one side of your mouth Difficulty closing an eyelid, which causes eye dryness

Most often these symptoms lead to significant facial distortions.

People living with Bell's palsy may also develop:

Facial pain or abnormal sensations Excessive tearing in one eye Problems with taste Low tolerance for loud noises Pain around the jaw and behind the ear Problems eating or drinking

Symptoms appear suddenly over a 48- to 72hour period and generally start to improve with or without treatment after a few weeks. They vary from person to person and can be mild to severe. Usually, you will recover some or all facial function within a few weeks to six months. Sometimes the facial weakness may last longer or be permanent.

Bell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis, although its exact cause is unknown. It results from dysfunction of cranial nerve VII, which connects your brain to the muscles that control facial expression (the nerve also is involved with taste and ear sensation). In rare cases, Bell's palsy can affect both sides of your face.

Who is more likely to get Bell's palsy?

Bell's palsy is estimated to affect about 40,000 people in the United States every year. It can affect anyone of any gender and age but seems to be highest in those in people 15 to 45 years old. Risk factors for Bell's palsy include pregnancy, preeclampsia, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and upper respiratory ailments.

Possible triggers of Bell's palsy may include:

An existing (dormant) viral infection Impaired immunity from stress, sleep deprivation, physical trauma, minor illness, or autoimmune syndromes Infection of a facial nerve and resulting inflammation Damage to the myelin sheath (fatty covering that insulates nerve fibers)

How is Bell's palsy diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing Bell's palsy

A doctor will examine you for any upper and lower facial muscle weakness on one side of your face (including the forehead, eyelid, and mouth) that began in less than 72 hours. During the exam, the doctor will rule out other possible causes of facial paralysis. There is no specific laboratory test to confirm diagnosis of the disorder.

Routine laboratory or imaging studies are not necessary for most cases, but sometimes they can help to confirm your diagnosis or rule out other diseases or conditions that can cause facial weakness (e.g., brain tumor, stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Lyme disease). If no specific cause can be identified, the condition can be diagnosed as Bell's palsy.

Tests for Bell's palsy may include:

Electromyography (EMG), which uses thin wire electrodes that are inserted into a muscle to assess changes in electrical activity during movement and when the muscle is at rest. EMGs can confirm the presence of nerve damage and determine the severity and the extent of nerve involvement.

Blood tests can sometimes help diagnose other concurrent problems such as diabetes and certain infections. Diagnostic imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans can rule out other structural causes of pressure on the facial nerve (e.g., an artery compressing the nerve) and also check the other nerves.

Treating Bell's palsy

Medications

Your doctor might prescribe steroids if you have new-onset Bell's palsy. In most instances, oral steroids should be started within 72 hours of symptom onset if possible, to reduce inflammation and swelling and increase the probability of recovering facial nerve function. Some people with Bell's palsy or facial weakness with co-existing conditions may not respond well to or be able to take steroids. Antiviral agents (in addition to steroids) might increase the probability of recovery of facial function, although their benefit has not been clearly established. Analgesics such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may relieve pain. Because of possible drug interactions, individuals taking prescription medicines should always talk to their doctors before taking any over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

Eye protection

Keeping your eyes moist and protecting them from debris and injury, especially at night, is important. Lubricating eye drops, such as artificial tears or eye ointments or gels, and eye patches also are effective.

Other therapies

Physical therapy, facial massage, or acupuncture may provide a small improvement with facial nerve function and pain. Electrical stimulation of the facial nerve may improve.

Surgery

On rare occasions, cosmetic or reconstructive surgery may be needed to correct some damage such as an eyelid that will not fully close or a crooked smile.

What are the latest updates on Bell's palsy?

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the nation's leading federal funder on neurological disorders. NINDS conducts and supports an extensive research program to increase understanding of how the nervous system works and what causes the system to sometimes go wrong. Part of this research program focuses on learning more about nerve mechanisms involved in facial movement and control and the circumstances that lead to nerve damage, such as facial paralysis. Knowledge gained from this research may help scientists find the definitive cause of Bell's palsy, leading to the discovery of new ↑ effective treatments.

Among NINDS-funded research on facial palsy, scientists hope to develop and study the longterm feasibility of an implanted functional electrical stimulator in the healthy side of the face to drive muscle movement in the paralyzed side of the face. Functional electric stimulation uses an electrical current to cause muscles to contract, which may lead to increased movement, muscle strength, and less pain.

Other scientists are studying a set of genes to identify the molecular mechanisms involved in the regeneration of nerve projections (axons) to their original targets. Peripheral nerves send and receive signals from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body, including signals to the muscles to tell them how to contract, which is how we move. Understanding how to regenerate peripheral nerves may lead to ways to prevent nerve damage and injuries.

For research articles and summaries on Bell's Palsy, search PubMed, which contains citations from medical journals and other sites.
Dr-Arbab Habibullah Physiotherapist