Bell’s Palsy is a sudden, temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the face that results in difficulty smiling, closing eyelids on that side, or raising eyebrows. Symptoms may include difficulty smiling and difficulty closing them on that side as well.
Physiotherapy can accelerate recovery from Bell’s Palsy. Research shows that facial muscle Bell’s Palsy physical therapy significantly improved HBS grade, mouth/eye asymmetry and synkinesis at six months post-treatment.
Mouth-to-Mouth Exercise
Bell’s Palsy patients may experience a wide variety of feelings and adjustments following facial nerve recovery, but daily facial exercises for Bell’s Palsy can help improve face symmetry, mobility and muscle function while supporting healing and supporting recovery.
Facial muscle movement therapy for Bell’s Palsy seeks to gradually rebuild the brain-to-nerve-to-muscle pathway disrupted by initial facial nerve injury. By performing facial exercises for Bell’s Palsy several times daily for prescribed amounts of time, muscles can relearn natural movements and expressions.
Facial exercises to treat Bell’s Palsy can be relatively straightforward, yet it is best to work with a physical therapist experienced in treating this disorder. A physical therapist with this knowledge will create an individualized treatment plan, including facial exercises tailored specifically for you, to maximize recovery from Bell’s Palsy.
One of the most effective facial exercises for Bell’s Palsy involves gently massaging the upper portion of your face from forehead to cheek and chin, helping reduce muscle weakness and stiffness and restore youthful features. Your physical therapist may suggest other self-help facial exercises to assist your symptoms improve and mobility return to normal.
Another key consideration when performing facial muscle exercise for Bell’s Palsy is being mindful and avoiding unnecessary strain. Pushing muscles too far could exacerbate symptoms by creating additional tightness or involuntary movements known as synkinesis; using light massage techniques with the pads of your fingers on eyebrow, temples, cheek and chin areas will help alleviate tension while improving circulation and speed healing.
Low quality evidence supports facial exercises as an effective treatment option, particularly for moderate paralysis or chronic cases of idiopathic facial paresthesia, and may reduce sequelae in acute cases. More high-quality trials must be completed to confirm these benefits are permanent; to learn more about how tailored facial exercises could help your recovery from Bell’s Palsy speak to a professional at Surrey Physio today; they’ll design an exercise program specifically targeting your eyes, nose and lips!
Eye/Eyelid Exercise
Imagine waking up one morning, unable to blink, speak, or move your facial muscles – that is the reality of Bell’s Palsy: facial paralysis caused by inflammation or compression of the seventh cranial nerve that controls facial movement. Facial exercises for Bell’s Palsy can help rebuild and retrain these muscles so they are no longer paralysed by Bell’s Palsy.
This facial muscle exercise begins by opening both eyes as wide as possible while gazing upward. This helps stretch out and loosen up stiff eye muscles. Next comes frowning practice, causing lips to contract and pucker as part of retraining muscles to work together more closely; practicing these exercises regularly over time will lead to natural facial movements and expressions.
As with any exercise regimen, it’s essential that these facial exercises be performed gently and under the guidance of a licensed physical therapist, who will create a customized facial muscle strength program tailored specifically for you. Your therapist will assess muscle strength and tone levels as well as range of motion and coordination; plus they’ll give instructions for doing home workouts at home.
Physical therapists experienced in treating Bell’s Palsy will know which exercises will be most beneficial to managing this condition, and can instruct you in their proper performance as well as suggest other ways that could aid recovery from Bell’s Palsy.
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of facial exercises for helping those suffering from Bell’s Palsy recover faster, but further investigation must be conducted into their efficacy and frequency of practice. More research needs to be completed in this regard.
Though facial muscles generally heal themselves over time, many who experience Bell’s Palsy experience a slow recovery period. They may experience symptoms like drooling, difficulty closing their affected eye on that side, numbness or weakness on that side of their face, pain behind the ear or in their neck area, difficulty tasting food properly or increased salivation on that side (xerostomia). A tailored physiotherapy treatment plan may be beneficial in alleviating such symptoms.
Nose/Cheek Exercise
Imagine awakening one day and being unable to blink or purse your lips; that is the experience many people who suffer from Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis. While there may be treatments available for this condition, most individuals find regular facial exercises are essential to recovery; these help promote facial movement while strengthening muscles around the mouth, eyes, nose, and cheeks.
Physical therapists can tailor a facial exercise plan specifically for each muscle affected by Bell’s palsy or weakness, with the goal of increasing range of motion while strengthening and improving coordination in areas that already work. Facial muscles tend to be very sensitive, therefore need plenty of practice before returning them to full functionality.
Lower facial muscles are essential in helping us regain strength and mobility, as they’re involved with many daily facial movements like smiling, frowning, opening and closing our mouths, etc. To restore strength and mobility to these lower facial muscles, stretching them regularly may reduce stiffness and increase flexibility in this area. You can try pressing cheeks together then gently pulling apart using index fingers as needed; or put pressure on the bridge of your nose then push upward with an index finger to promote muscle movement in this region.
This exercise not only reduces eyelid and eyebrow stiffness, but it also stimulates movement in cheek and nose muscles. To perform this exercise, close your eyes while gently massaging eyebrows and eyelids with fingers; try squinting to stretch those muscles further before opening eyes again to wiggle nose and cheeks to stimulate facial movement.
Facial exercises are safe to do alone, though it’s always wiser to work closely with a physical therapist for maximum results and faster recovery. They will demonstrate proper movements that will produce optimal outcomes while speeding up recovery time.
Eyebrow Exercise
Eyebrows play an integral part in facial movement and expression as well as maintaining proper eye closure. Unfortunately, those experiencing Bell’s Palsy often lose the ability to fully close one eye on one side – making sleeping, working and functioning much more challenging.
Physiotherapists can be invaluable resources if you experience these symptoms. Through facial massage therapy, the physiotherapist will help improve range of motion in this area while aiding healing. Gently rub your fingers across the brow, temples, cheeks and neck focusing especially on any tight or stiff spots to facilitate relief and promote well-being.
While facial muscles will eventually heal on their own, physiotherapy can hasten the process. A therapist will conduct an assessment of your facial nerve dysfunction before designing exercises to target those affected by it. They should be done gradually so as not to cause fatigue or discomfort and the therapist will teach you how to perform these exercises at home without assistance from them.
A physiotherapist offers more than facial massage and exercises; they also offer various other treatments that may help manage symptoms more effectively, such as prescription of oral steroids to decrease inflammation around a nerve, or ointments to improve vision or eye closure on affected sides. If symptoms remain severe despite physical therapy treatment, surgery might even be considered an option.
