Effect of Dexamethasone Iontophoresis on Acute Bell's Palsy Patients

HANAN H. ABD EL-ALEEM, M.D.;, MOHAMED N. EL-BAHRAWY, Ph.D.;; MOHAMMED R. IBRAHIM, M.Sc., WALEED T. MANSOUR, Ph.D.;

doi:10.21608/mjcu.2019.52545

Effect of Dexamethasone Iontophoresis on Acute Bell's Palsy Patients

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

The Departments of Physical Therapy for Neuromuscular & Neurosurgical Disorders & its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy and Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt

10.21608/mjcu.2019.52545

Abstract

Abstract
Background: Bell's palsy is an idiopathic lower motor neurone palsy of the facial nerve. It is the most common cause of rapid-onset unilateral facial weakness. It often manifests rapidly.
Aim of the Study: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Dexamethasone iontophoresis on acute Bell's palsy.
Subject and Methods: Thirty patients from both sexes, diagnosed as acute Bell's palsy were included in this study recruited from Neurology Outpatient Clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University from July 2014 to October 2015. They were assigned into two equal groups a control group (A) and study group (B). GA received oral systemic steroids and aplacebo effect of iontophoresisWhile GB received the same oral drugs and Dexamethasone Iontophoresis. The patients were assessed with Electrical Response Grading as objective method for assessment and the Yanagihara Grading Scale (YGS) as clinical method for evaluation pre and post the iontophoresis.
Results: Post physiotherapeutic evaluation revealed sig-nificant difference between group A and group B regarding (ERG) and (YGS) 0.001.
Conclusion: Dexamethasone iontophorsis is effective in treatment of acute Bell's palsy.

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