Bristol Palin Gives Health Update on Facial Paralysis: A Journey to Recovery

Bristol Palin, the 34-year-old daughter of former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, has provided a heartfelt update regarding her ongoing battle with facial paralysis. Two weeks after she first revealed her struggle with a sudden inability to move one side of her face, Bristol took to social media on February 13 to share her progress and the steps she is taking to manage her health condition.

Bristol Palin’s Ongoing Struggle with Facial Paralysis

In a candid Instagram video, Bristol shared the difficulties she faces on a daily basis, saying, “We’re on day 23 of this,” referring to the condition that has now persisted for over three weeks. “I can’t move the left side of my face at all. It’s really hard to blink, I can’t blow out a candle.” The Teen Mom OG star visibly struggles to close her left eye or move the left side of her mouth while speaking, which has been challenging for the reality TV personality.

Despite these challenges, Bristol remains determined to recover, noting that she has been following a strict regimen of treatments to help heal her condition. She explained, “I’ve been doing acupuncture, lymphatic massage, oxygen chamber treatment, red light therapy, cutting out almost all of the processed foods, and eliminating most caffeine.” These holistic treatments aim to improve her condition while focusing on overall well-being.

A Diagnosis of Bell’s Palsy

After consulting with her doctor, Bristol underwent a CT scan and was placed on medication to identify the cause of her facial paralysis. With the scan results coming back normal, her doctor diagnosed her with Bell’s Palsy, a condition that causes sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of the face, often triggered by stress or sleep deprivation. According to the Mayo Clinic, Bell’s Palsy is typically a short-term condition that improves over time with appropriate care and rest.

Bristol, who has been open about the toll that stress has taken on her health, acknowledged that this condition was likely triggered by the pressures she’s been facing in her personal life. “Since it was set off by stress,” she shared, “I’ve been trying to eliminate everything that I can control that serves no purpose—that is just stressing me out.”

Maintaining a Positive Outlook

Throughout her health journey, Bristol has remained committed to focusing on self-care and making positive changes. She emphasized her efforts to get better sleep, stick to a routine, and create a calm environment that fosters healing. “I’m sleeping pretty sound,” she said, “sticking to a routine. Just trying my best to get this healed.”

While the situation has been difficult, Bristol has remained open and vulnerable on social media, even though she initially hesitated to share her condition publicly. She explained, “The only reason why I wanted to post about it was that so when people saw me in person they didn’t think something crazy had happened,” adding that she wanted to control the narrative about her health.

Staying Hopeful for a Full Recovery

Despite the physical challenges she’s facing, Bristol maintains a hopeful attitude. “Everything is fine, it just looks like I have a fishhook in my mouth,” she joked. She ended her update by expressing optimism for the future, saying, “I’m praying for some breakthroughs, some healing soon.”

As she continues to prioritize her health and recovery, Bristol Palin is inspiring others with her resilience and dedication to overcoming personal challenges.