Effect of Adjuvant Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Bells Palsy Outcome

Inclusion Criteria:

- 18 years or older exhibiting unilateral facial paralysis progressing to completion in
4 days or less.

Exclusion Criteria:

- No patients from vulnerable populations as listed above will be included.

- Subjects must be able to travel to NYULMC continually during the first 12 months
following enrollment.

- During the initial visit candidates must have no associated clinical signs or symptoms
consistent with other causes of facial palsy. This includes but is not limited to:
auricular papules, skin rashes, parotid masses, craniofacial trauma, and the presence
of other cranial or distal neuropathies excluding facial numbness, change in taste,
and/or hyperacusis.

- Patients with atypical presentations will be referred for cross-sectional imaging and
excluded.

- Patients with histories consistent with possible recent tick exposure, rashes,
headaches, or excessive fatigue will be serologically tested for Lyme disease and
excluded if it returns positive.

- Pneumothorax within the last two years is the only absolute medical exclusion criteria
(FF).

- Patients who are epileptics, or are claustrophobic, will be carefully counseled on the
risks of HBOT before being allowed to enroll.

- Patients with severe comorbidities will undergo evaluation by their primary care
doctor and require physician approval prior to enrollment.