Effect of Electrostimulation Applied on Bell’s Palsy—A Systematic Review

Context: Bell’s palsy (BP) is an idiopathic, acute peripheral-nerve palsy involving the facial nerve. BP patients usually present muscular hypotonia, altering the facial expression. These changes can lead to functional insufficiencies and psychological changes. Electrical stimulation (ES) can help prevent muscle atrophy, as well as promote tissue healing, contributing to recovery from facial paralysis. Objective: Review the effectiveness of the application of ES in the treatment of BP. Data Sources: The search was carried out in PubMed databases, searched using MeSH terms, Scopus and Academic Search Complete, in English, French and Portuguese. Study Selection: RCTs and clinical trials that have applied ES in patients with BP were considered for this study. Data Extraction: Two independent reviewers applied the selection criteria to the retrieved studies to limit the number to the final list. Data Synthesis: The initial search returned 324 articles, from which duplicates were eliminated (n = 134). A total of 181 articles were excluded based on title and abstract and 9 complete manuscripts were retrieved and assessed for inclusion meeting the eligibility criteria. In the end, 5 articles were included in this review. Conclusions: There is no strong evidence of the benefits of ES in Bell’s palsy and further studies should be enrolled to clarify this. It seems acceptable to consider that stimulation on motor points and all the facial muscles is the most effective and appears that different forms of application of ES can condition the final results.