As someone who has suffered through this condition, I can easily understand the urge to do something that is claimed to help speed the healing process or reverse permanent nerve damage. What I recommend people with this ailment do (before investing valuable time or money in any treatment) is to research it carefully first. The PubMed medical literature database and the Cochrane Reviews are good sources of information about both mainstream and alternative treatments. Other sites have overviews of diagnosis and treatment. As I've previously mentioned, mainstream drug therapies are of dubious benefit for treating Bell's palsy; no value has been found for acupuncture in treating this ailment. This is a condition that (usually) gets better with time (as happened with me). Meantime, what may happen is that whatever useless drug/herb/treatment the person used falsely gets credit for the improvement. There unfortunately are limited options (i.e. surgery) which may or may not help with long-term nerve impairment. Acupuncture at this point would be throwing money down the drain. Don't take my word for it - use those informative and trustworthy sources. Beware of those who have only anecdotes and personal attacks to offer.* *Kali, what purpose is served by your pre-emptively deciding that another poster is likely to "block" a co-worker's healing by (heaven forbid) not taking your advice? This post was edited by eric_oh on Sun, Apr 27, 14 at 22:12

lpinkmountain I wonder if you might have rosacea. (By the way, please forgive me...I'm not a dermatologist at all but just am someone who all of a sudden developed a kind of blotchy bumpy skin.) When I went to the dermatologist for my yearly check up (I've become really good about this), she told me that I have rosacea. If that's the case with you, there are very specific things that should be used on the skin and equally specific things to avoid. Actually, I've saved money on skin stuff because the dr. told me that the best cleaner for my skin is Cetaphil (cheap) and that the Oil of Olay products are good as well. Her comment was that they have good chemists working for them. I'm to avoid Retin-A (boo hoo) and to wear a really good sun block. Vanicream (another cheapie) sunblock was also recommended. I don't wear much makeup but did have a couple of Bobbie Brown products left over from my daughter's wedding a few years ago. The doctor told me that those were OK to use because there wasn't anything in them that shouldn't go on the face. Good luck. Regarding skin, I figure that my eyes are getting worse just at the right time because I can't see all of the imperfections without my glasses. So...I just don't wear them!

I thought I'd post an update about my experience with facial rejuvenation acupuncture. I went twice a week for 5 weeks. There were something like 93 needles all together, some in my arms and legs. (I was mistaken when I thought they were all in my face). My last appointment was last week and I really did see great results! The lines between my eyebrows look MUCH better. I think overall my skin look brighter. Now I'm not sure I would pay $65 a treatment and go that often though. By the last week my face was tender and I did have some bruising. It was a pretty big time commitment too. I don't have the before and afters yet, I'll post them when she sends them to me. The protocol calls for a tune-up every month or so and I think we will continue with it since I did have good results. I like to go every three weeks for my back anyway. I figure it can't hurt! Beth P.

THank you all so much for writing...it's been a roller-coaster of a day...I called the dentist back and said that it was worse than ever, not subsiding, just growing -- he folded and referred me to an endodontist, but I couldn't call them until after 5, so I won't know if I can be seen until tomorrow morning. By around 5:30 as I was driving DD to orchestra, it finally HIT so bad I was ready to go to an ER. I was sweating, panting from the pain, and felt faint...oh my gosh it was bad and just getting worse...luckily DH met me at the orchestra place and he drove me at first to a dental ER, but I REFUSED to let them see me because it seemed so shady (weirdly, I got definite vibes not to let them near me, and the weirdness was confirmed by the completely inappropriate behavior of the people behind the desk and the questions on the registration sheet -- how many medical offices make you write the name of your "Financial Institution" and warn you about the fee if you don't call within 24 hours of your next appointment before even handing you the *long* registration form??! but I digress)...by then I had given in and taken an extra half tramadol, just because I was going completely insane with the pain. I would categorize it as the second worst pain I've ever felt--first being childbirth. But I think the tramadol what did the trick because in about 45 minutes I was living again, doing errands with DH while we waited for DD. I can feel it's coming back again now, but I know now how to control it until tomorrow morning. jbrig, thank you for the clarification -- you're right, I was being too broad-brush and ended up just being wrong -- I think I was thinking of the prostaglandin-inhibiting and the anti-inflammatory effects of ibuprofen (or at least that's what I had been told). Thanks for correcting me. Funny that you should mention the tramadol/flexeril, because those are what I take -- the tramadol in the daytime for fibro and the flexeril at night (low dose, as a muscle relaxer as you mention). camlan, WOW...that's scary...how did they end up finding it? Do you have complete resolution now and you're pain-free? And Pat, I'm sorry to hear you've had that situation for years...I can only imagine what it must be like for that long. Could TN2 include the feeling that teeth are about to explode? INTENSE ache? I'll bring it up with the endodontist tomorrow. I can feel a tooth throbbing now, starting the wind-up. I really appreciate your all's understanding, help and good wishes so much. I'll post back about the endodontist. THANK YOU!