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Ardita (Facial Paralysis / Bell’s Palsy)

Ardita (Facial paralysis) is considered as one among the eighty Vata Nanatmaja Vyadhis (Vata Dosha disorders) in Ayurveda. The word Ardita is derived from the root word "Ardana" which means pain or discomfort or trouble. According to Ayurveda classic Charaka Smhita, “Ardita” is the condition in which excessive aggravation of Vata dosha causes Vakrata or deviation of face, either localized in mukha ardha (half of the face) with or without the involvement of the body. And according to Acharya Susruta, the Vata vitiated gets localised in the half of the face (mouth and other regions of the head) .

This vitiated vata dosha affects facial nerve, blood vessels supplying the facial area and the facial muscles. In which face or either side of the face is affected, marked by the diminished or absent facial muscles movement, deviation of the face, dribbling of saliva from the affected side of mouth.

“Ardita” can be correlated with the disease ‘Bell’s palsy or Facial paralysis. Facial nerve paralysis is the condition which presents with the deviation of half of the face and associated with the impairment of motor and sensory functions of the affected side of the face. It can occur when the nerve that controls your facial muscles becomes inflamed, swollen, or compressed.

Causes of Ardita :

-Speaking loudly in excess

- Churning hard food stuffs

-Excessive laughter, yawning and sneezing

-Carrying heavy loads on head, Sudden movement of head and neck

-Sleeping in an uncomfortable posture, Use of pillows in wrong posture; either too high or too low

-specific group of patients get affected more easily-if Pregnant lady disobey post natal care, Children, Old people, Emaciated persons etc.

-Due to injury to head or face

-taking day sleep excessively

-Excessive tongue scrapping

-Excessive rubbing of the eyes, ears and nose

-sometimes there is unknown cause too

Purva Roop (Premonitory symptoms) of Ardita :

Romaharsha(horripilation)

Vepanam (Tremors)

Avila Netrata (blurred vision)

Twachi swapa (loss of sensation of skin),

Toda (pain)

Manya sthamba (stiffness of the neck)

Hanugraha (stiffness of the jaw)

Roop (Sings and Symptoms) of Ardita:

1.Distortion of the affected side of the face (the mouth angle is drawn over to the opposite side), If the patient tries to smile or talk, the mouth angle is drawn to the normal side.

2. Asymmetry of the face, eyebrows, forehead, eye and chin and sometimes associated with pain in the ear, neck, chin, teeth on the affected side.

3. Facial muscle weakness, muscle twitches in the affected side

4.Incomplete closure of the affected side eye, blurred vision.

5.Tremors of the head and shaking of tooth

6. Difficulty in speech and hoarseness of voice, hearing loss and impairment in smell sensation.

7. The act of mastication and swallowing of food gets troubled

8. Sneeze gets suppressed

9.Getting fear while sleeping and sometimes Loss of memory also

Ayurvedic treatment of Ardita :

The Ayurvedic management of Ardita focuses on calming down the vitiated Vata dosha, associated with other aggrevated doshas too thus restoration of normal functioning of facial area.

A). Internal Medications :

Dhanadanayanadi Kashayam, Ashtavargam Kashayam, Maharasnadi Kashayam, Rasna dashamooladi kashayam, Rasnaerandadi kashayam, Rasnasptakam kashayam, Dhanwantaram Gulika.

Few Single Herbs might also help :

Garlic, Castor leaves /oil, Clove, Mustard, Asafoetida,Nirgundi (Vitex negundo), Rasna (Alpinia galanga), Bala (Sida Cordifolia)

B). External Therapy and Mediciations:

Moordha taila (application of oil to the head)

Nasya karma (Oleation of nasal track)

Karnapoorana (oleation in ears)

Nadi Sweda (Tube sudation for localised area)

Shirodhara (Pouring of medicated oil over forhead)

Medicated Oils like -Masha tailam, Mahamasha Thailam, Karpasastyadi taila, Dhanwantharam taila ,Kshirabala taila, Dasamool Kashayam, Anu Thaialm etc.

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