AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH TO ARDITA (BELL’S PALSY): A CASE REPORT

Ardita (Bell's palsy) is considered as one of the 80 Vataja Nanatmaja Vyadhis in Ayurvedic classics. In modernday science, it could be correlated with the disorder of Unilateral facial paralysis. Bell’s palsy, additionally termed as Idiopathic facial paralysis (IFP), is the common cause of unilateral facial paralysis. Facial palsy is a neurological ailment wherein the 7th cranial nerve gets affected. The facial nerve conveys sensory and motor fibres with parasympathetic nerve fibres. Damaged facial nerve (VII) consequences are functional loss of facial muscle, resulting in facial impairment. The current study has been performed to discover the effective Ayurvedic management of Bell’s palsy in a 16-year-old male patient who approached Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Hospital, Hubballi. He was diagnosed with Ardita (Bell's palsy) – Left-sided Bell's Palsy and managed with Karpasasthyadi taila mukhabhyanga(Facial oil massage),Panasa patra sweda(Jackfruit leaf sudation) followed by nasya(nasal drops) with Ksheera bala taila 101 for 10days and confirmed well-sized development in the signs and symptoms with no adverse effects. The house-Brackmann facial nerve grading system was used for the patient's pre-test and post-test assessment.