Repetitive Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation (rPMS) is a non-invasive therapeutic technique showing promising results in various musculoskeletal disorders. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of high-frequency rPMS in treating acute idiopathic facial nerve palsy (IFP) and to assess the role of neuromuscular ultrasonography in diagnosing and monitoring the condition. A total of 40 patients, aged over 18 and diagnosed with unilateral acute idiopathic facial palsy (within 7 days of onset), were enrolled in the study. These patients were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (20 patients) or a control group. Both groups received standard medical treatment, routine rehabilitation therapy, and underwent clinical examinations that included assessments of facial nerve disability using the House-Brackmann grading (HBG) score and Facial Disability Index (FDI) score. Ultrasonography was performed to measure the facial nerve on both the normal and affected sides at baseline and again after six weeks. The intervention group received 10 sessions of high-frequency rPMS, administered five times per week over two consecutive weeks on the affected side.
Results indicated a more significant improvement in the HBG and FDI scores in the intervention group compared to the control group after six weeks. Baseline ultrasonographic measurements showed that the facial nerve on the affected side was larger than on the non-affected side, but these dimensions significantly decreased after the follow-up period. Notably, the intervention group exhibited a greater reduction in facial nerve diameter at the proximal portion (without sheath) than the control group. These findings suggest that high-frequency rPMS can serve as an effective adjunct treatment for acute idiopathic facial palsy. Additionally, ultrasonography proved to be a valuable tool for evaluating and predicting the prognosis of IFP.
