Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 18, 2025 · Entertainment

Bristol Palin's Brave Journey: Overcoming Facial Paralysis with Sobriety and Extreme Treatments

Bristol Palin, 34, spoke about her ongoing bout with facial paralysis in series of posts Thursday on her Instagram Stories

EXCLUSIVE: Bristol Palin Spills Tea on Her Ongoing Battle with Facial Paralysis - And It's Not Pretty!

The world may have thought they knew Bristol Palin, but little did we know that beneath her sparkling smile and bright blue eyes lies a secret struggle. The former Teen Mom OG star has been quietly battling facial paralysis for months, and in a shocking series of Instagram posts, she's finally opened up about the grueling ordeal.

As a reality TV veteran, Bristol knows how to spin a good yarn, but this time, it's her own story that's got everyone talking. The 34-year-old mother of three has been documenting her journey with Bell's palsy, a condition characterized by temporary paralysis or weakness of the facial muscles. And let's just say, things have gotten pretty messy.

Bristol estimated her face was 'probably like 70% back to normal' about six months after the situation began. She posed with daughters Sailor Grace, nine, and Atlee Bay, eight

"I woke up one morning and my face was paralyzed," Bristol confessed to her 549,000 followers on Instagram Stories. "I couldn't move the left side of my face at all. It was like I'd had a stroke or something." She continued, "It was really hard to blink, and I couldn't blow out a candle. My sisters make fun of me because I look crazy."

As we followed Bristol's journey, it became clear that this wasn't just a minor inconvenience - it was a full-blown crisis. The former abstinence ambassador has been forced to reevaluate her entire lifestyle, cutting out "most processed foods" and eliminating caffeine (except for that one cup of coffee in the morning).

"I'm trying to eliminate anything that I can control that serves no purpose," Bristol revealed, adding that she's also undergone a slew of treatments, including acupuncture, massage, oxygen chamber treatment, and red light therapy. It seems like Bristol is willing to try anything to get her face - and life - back on track.

Bristol accompanied a post by a shot of her hand, as her nails were painted fluorescent yellow

But what about the emotional toll? How does someone as young and vibrant as Bristol cope with this kind of trauma? "I feel like I'm handling it well," she insisted, "but sometimes it's hard not to look at pictures of myself right now." It's clear that Bristol is still grappling with the psychological impact of her condition.

As the news spread like wildfire across The Scholarly Note, we couldn't help but wonder: what's next for this reality TV stalwart? Will she continue to document her journey on social media, or will she retreat from the spotlight? Only time (and her Instagram followers) will tell.

In the meantime, Bristol has given us a glimpse into her daily life as a mom of three. We learned that Tripp, 16, wants to work and possibly pursue a trade in real estate development - sounds like he's got his sights set on success! Sailor Grace, 9, and Atlee Bay, 8, are also thriving, despite their mom's struggles.

Asked if her son Tripp, 16, wants to go to college, she replied, 'I’d never push college.

As the drama unfolds, we can't help but think back to Bristol's heyday as a Teen Mom OG star. Who could forget her fiery passion for abstinence (and her infamous "gnat" comment about Levi Johnston)? Ah, those were the days!

For now, Bristol remains focused on finding a solution to her facial paralysis - and if that means sharing her ups and downs with us, so be it. We're rooting for you, Bristol!

Bristol in January said on the social media platform that doctors speculated she might have Bell's palsy after undergoing a series of tests after suffering symptoms

Bristol pictured in May of 2022 along with her son Tripp, 16, daughters Sailor Grace, nine, and Atlee Bay, eight, and ex-husband Dakota Meyer, 36

Bristol posed with her daughters as they headed off for their first day of school last fall

Bristol and her then high school sweetheart Levi were thrust into the public eye after her mother Sarah Palin announced the 17-year-old was pregnant at the 2008 Republican National Convention

Bristol and Levi called off their engagement in March 2009, just three months after their son, Tripp, was born on December 27, 2008

Bristol was pictured in NYC during an appearance on SiriusXM in September of 2018