04/05/2026
Mr. Roy walked into our clinic unsure acupuncture would work.
Like many patients diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, he was dealing with facial drooping, weakness, and frustration.
He had been told to wait it out for 6 months and wasn’t convinced acupuncture would make a difference.
Acupuncture is often the last resort people will try.
Our clinic focused on restoring nerve function, improving circulation, and retraining muscle response using targeted acupuncture, herbal medicine and electrical stimulation.
Session by session, things changed.
Movement started to return.
Pain reduced.
Facial symmetry improved.
And eventually, his smile came back.
Now he’s a true believer in the body’s ability to heal when given the right support.
Research supports what we see clinically, but it needs to be understood correctly.
• Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials show acupuncture is associated with higher improvement rates compared to conventional care
• One 2015 analysis reported a 95.48% improvement rate with acupuncture vs. 82.81% with standard treatment
• Important: these “effective rates” include partial improvement, not just full recovery
• Study quality varies, but overall trends suggest acupuncture may help support faster recovery, especially when started early
It’s also important to know that many cases of Bell’s palsy improve on their own, but not all fully recover.
If you or someone you know is experiencing facial drooping, weakness, or sudden changes in facial movement, first rule out a stroke.
Once medically cleared, early treatment matters.
At Central Texas Acupuncture & Wellness Center, we focus on restoring function, not just waiting for symptoms to resolve.
Call to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Julie Lott and get started with care as soon as possible.