Question
My grandmother has facial palsy and has stabilized after treatment. However, she caught a cold yesterday and I want to take her for a steam bath to promote sweating. Can children with facial palsy have steam baths?
Answer
Facial palsy is relatively common in daily life, primarily caused by various pathological factors affecting the facial nerve, leading to the loss of facial nerve function and subsequently causing a series of symptoms such as facial muscle paralysis. While children with facial palsy are not completely prohibited from having steam baths, according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, the occurrence of facial palsy is related to the invasion of wind and cold evil into the meridians, causing stagnation of Qi and insufficient nourishment to the muscles. Therefore, it is recommended not to have steam baths in the early stages of facial palsy to avoid excessive sweating, which may further damage the body’s vital energy and hinder recovery. Additionally, after steam baths, attention should be paid to staying warm and avoiding direct wind exposure to prevent catching a cold again and exacerbating the condition.