Bell's Palsy and Ayurveda: A Case Study on the Efficacy of Ayurvedic Treatment for Ardita (Bell's Palsy)

Background: Bell’s palsy is a sudden weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles on one side, caused by a problem with the facial nerve. This leads to drooping of the mouth, difficulty closing the eye, and facial asymmetry. In Ayurveda, a similar condition is called Ardita, which happens due to an imbalance of Vata dosha. Objective: To see how well Ayurvedic treatment works in managing Ardita (Bell’s palsy). Methods: This study reports the case of a 70-year-old man with right-side facial weakness, incomplete eye closure, puffiness, drooling, and disturbed sleep for 5 days. He was treated for 15 days with Panchakarma therapies—Shirodhara with Brahmi taila, Mukhabhyanga with Mahanarayan taila, and Nasya with Panchendriya vardhan taila, Netratarpan with Triphala Ghritam—along with internal Ayurvedic medicines such as Yograj guggulu, Aarogyavardhini vati, Sutshekhar rasa, and herbal powders (churna). Results: After treatment, there was clear improvement in facial movement, eye closure, and mouth position. The deviation of the mouth and incomplete eye closure reduced from severe (grade 4) to mild (grade 1), and drooling stopped completely. Conclusion: This case shows that a combined Ayurvedic approach can help improve symptoms of Ardita quickly and may be a useful option for managing Bell’s palsy.