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Ear Stabbing Pain and Facial Stiffness? Don't Miss the Golden Time for Facial Paralysis.

How surprised would you be if your face in the mirror suddenly looked different? Experience described as "my ear stabs with pain and then my face stiffens" is a chilling one that could be a pre-symptom of facial paralysis, requiring special attention. Issues like water leaking when washing your face, only one corner of your mouth rising when smiling, or eyes not closing properly are serious problems that can shake your daily life. This facial paralysis is often not just a muscle problem, but occurs when the balance of the body's autonomic nervous system is disrupted.

💡 [Key Answer] 3 most common causes of "ear stabbing pain and facial stiffness": ① Excessive stress and decreased immunity ② Exposure to cold wind and viral infection ③ Autonomic nervous system imbalance Dalimchae Clinic resolves the fundamental cause of symptoms by helping recover the balance of the autonomic nervous system to reduce nerve inflammation and aid the recovery of damaged facial nerves.

Facial paralysis occurs when there is a problem with the facial nerve that moves facial muscles. It usually appears on one side of the face, making it difficult to raise eyebrows, close eyes, or raise the corner of the mouth to make expressions. One of the important pre-symptoms appearing before the onset of facial paralysis is ear pain. You may feel stabbing or dull pain in the mastoid process area behind the earlobe, and in severe cases, the pain can be extreme enough to keep you awake at night. According to a health report from February 2024, about 2 out of 3 facial paralysis patients are known to feel non-specific pain behind the ear from two days before onset. If these pre-symptoms appear, it is important to visit a hospital quickly for an accurate diagnosis.

The most common form of facial paralysis is idiopathic facial paralysis of unknown cause, namely Bell's palsy. However, clinically, overwork, stress, decreased immunity, exposure to cold wind, and viral infection are cited as main causes. The facial nerve is distributed along a very long path and affects a wide area from the brain to the entire face, making it vulnerable to external stimuli or internal imbalance.

Particularly, stress and fatigue disrupt the balance of the autonomic nervous system, leading to decreased immunity, which can induce inflammatory reactions around the facial nerve. In Korean medicine, facial paralysis is called 'Guanwasa (口眼喎斜)', and it is seen as a state where meridians are blocked and muscle paralysis appears due to the invasion of 'Wind (風)' caused by body circulation disorders. If this imbalance of the nervous system is not resolved, there are limits to treatment that simply suppresses symptoms.

Facial paralysis is known to have early treatment significantly affect the prognosis. According to research results published in the October 2021 issue of the SCI(E) international journal 'BMC Health Services Research' by a research team at Jaseng Spine and Joint Research Institute, more than half of 4,790 patients diagnosed with facial nerve paralysis in 2016 received Korean medicine treatment, suggesting a high preference for Korean medicine among facial paralysis patients.

A study published in the September 2023 issue of 'Healthcare' confirmed the effectiveness of integrated Korean medicine treatment for traumatic facial nerve paralysis patients. This study was conducted on a 24-year-old male patient who developed traumatic facial nerve paralysis due to a mandible fracture. The patient received acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, cupping along with facial Chuna therapy and herbal medicine for 2 months, resulting in significant improvement in the House-Brackmann grade and Yanagihara score. These data show the importance of a Korean medicine approach in treating facial paralysis.

Also, a meta-analysis study published in the 'Journal of Acupuncture Research' in 2020 showed that when Korean medicine treatment including acupuncture was combined with steroid treatment for Bell's palsy patients, the facial function recovery rate was significantly improved compared to single treatment. Acupuncture is explained to have a positive effect on nerve recovery through local blood circulation improvement, inflammation reduction, muscle activation, and autonomic nervous system regulation. Dalimchae Clinic helps fast recovery based on such scientific evidence.

Dalimchae Clinic does not see facial paralysis as just a problem of facial muscles. Modern people's excessive stress and irregular lifestyle habits break the autonomic balance, which becomes a major cause preventing the brain from resting. Our body's autonomic nervous system is divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, regulating overall life activities. If this balance is broken, immunity can decrease and inflammatory reactions can be easily induced.

Dalimchae's Autonomic Stabilization treatment creates an environment where the brain and nervous system can recover themselves by correcting this autonomic imbalance. Through herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and Chuna therapy, we promote the recovery of damaged facial nerves and return facial muscle movements naturally. We also focus on lowering the risk of recurrence by improving blood circulation and strengthening immunity.

How many of the following symptoms apply to you?

• Only one corner of the mouth rises or is crooked when smiling.
• One eye doesn't close well, or is watery or dry.
• Wrinkles don't form on one side of the forehead.
• Water or food leaks to one side during brushing or eating.
• Taste at the front of the tongue becomes dull.
• Feeling stabbing pain behind the ear or in the face.
• Hearing becomes sensitive enough to be startled by small sounds.
• Face swells or the paralyzed side feels heavy and dull.

Judgment Criteria:

• 3 or more apply: Early stage of facial paralysis due to autonomic imbalance is suspected.
• 5 or more apply: Immediate visit is required. It's important to start treatment early without missing the golden time.

Q. How long does facial paralysis take? A. Most Bell's palsy cases recover within 3-6 months, but some patients may take longer or have sequelae. Early treatment and steady management are important.

Q. Can Guanwasa be treated with Korean medicine? A. Yes, Korean medicine effectively treats it through various methods. Especially, combining it with Western medicine shows better results.

Q. Can facial paralysis heal naturally? A. About 80% of Bell's palsy cases recover with medication, but some may have paralysis remaining. Natural recovery wait increases the risk of sequelae.

Q. I have headaches or dizziness with facial paralysis, can they be treated together? A. Yes, Dalimchae's autonomic stabilization treatment improves the fundamental cause of these complex symptoms together.

Ear stabbing pain and facial stiffness symptoms are not problems that can be solved by enduring. Bring your symptoms exactly as they are. At Dalimchae Clinic, we will find the cause together and help your body regain the power to recover itself.

Where life blooms. Herbal medicine is, after all, Dalimchae. Check your symptoms similar to mine through the AI consultation on the Dalimchae Clinic website first!

Medical Supervision | Brain/Autonomic Treatment Standard, Dalimchae Clinic Incheon Branch, Doctor Chan Yang (Facial Paralysis Column)