COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF MIME THERAPY WITH SENSORY EXERCISES VERSUS CONVENTIONAL THERAPY AMONG BELLS PALSY PATIENTS

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Background: Bell’s palsy is an acute peripheral facial paralysis involving the seventh cranial nerve, often presenting with facial asymmetry and loss of motor function. Rehabilitation is essential for restoring function, with interventions ranging from conventional physiotherapy to advanced therapies like mime therapy combined with sensory exercises. These approaches aim to improve facial symmetry, emotional expression, and motor control, offering holistic management for patients with mild to moderate facial nerve dysfunction. Objective: To evaluate the effects of mime therapy combined with sensory exercises versus conventional physiotherapy in patients with Bell’s palsy. Methods: This randomized clinical trial included 40 patients aged 18 to 65 years, recruited from Jinnah Hospital and Mayo Hospital, Lahore, using purposive sampling. Participants had unilateral facial nerve dysfunction classified as Grades II-IV on the House-Brackmann scale, with symptoms lasting less than six months. Patients with severe dysfunction (Grades V-VI) or comorbid neurological disorders were excluded. Group A received mime therapy combined with sensory exercises, while Group B underwent conventional physiotherapy. Both groups received therapy for ten weeks, with four sessions per week. Facial function was assessed pre- and post-treatment using the Sunnybrook Score and the House-Brackmann grading system. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22. Results: Group A demonstrated a significant improvement in Sunnybrook scores, increasing from 46.0 ± 5.0 to 70.2 ± 6.5 (p = 0.015), with a paired difference of 24.2 ± 3.0 (p < 0.001). Group B showed moderate improvement in House-Brackmann grades, increasing from 45.0 ± 4.8 to 60.1 ± 6.2 (p = 0.028), with a paired difference of 15.1 ± 2.1 (p < 0.001). Between-group analysis highlighted superior outcomes in Group A compared to Group B. Conclusion: Mime therapy combined with sensory exercises demonstrated significantly better outcomes in facial symmetry, motor function, and functional recovery compared to conventional therapy, making it a more effective rehabilitation approach for Bell’s palsy.