05/20/2026
The face doesn’t just lose movement in facial paralysis — it loses communication between the brain, nerve, and muscle.
Many of the facial acupuncture points follow the pathways of the facial nerve and its branches.
In cases of facial paralysis, points such as SJ17, SI19, ST7, SI18, ST6, Taiyang, and GB14 are used because they lie along key branches of the facial nerve and surrounding neuromuscular structures.
Acupuncture and electroacupuncture (always used in my clinic) help retrain this system by increasing sensory feedback to the nervous system, supporting nerve signaling, and helping restore communication between the brain, facial nerve, and muscles.
They also help by:
✔ increasing local circulation to affected tissues
✔ reducing inflammation and increasing immune activity
✔ stimulating neuromuscular activation in partially denervated muscles
✔ supporting muscle activity to help prevent disuse-related weakness during recovery
✔ encouraging organized nerve repair processes involved in remyelination and reconnection
Over time, this combination of peripheral stimulation and central nervous system input helps support neuroplasticity — the nervous system’s ability to reorganize and relearn movement patterns after injury.
