In what way do facial exercises help?

[Jaki]

Hi everyone! I'm new on this forum.
My tumor was 3 cm big and now I am 4 months after the operation. I can't close my eye and have facial paralysis on my left side. From what I understand, my nerve looks preserved but somehow pressed together. In the beginning I could see some improvement in my mouth area, but now it seems as it stopped and the healthy muscles pull even stronger to their side. My question is, did the facial exercises really help you or was it more a "mental" help? Is it possible that I overexercise or do the exercises wrongly? Why is it important to do the exercises other than for better circulation? I sometimes feel like I do everything "manualy" and almost see no point in it. Thank you for the answers!

[Debbi]

Hi Jaki-

I am about 8 months post op and getting ready to see a new facial therapist - this one a Neuro-Muscular Facial Reanimation specialis - NMFR for short. 

I went to a speech and facial therapist about 6 weeks post surgery and had no facial movement at all on my AN side at that time.  I found that I couldn't do most of the exercises, but I did do the exercises than involved moving parts of my face with my hands.  It is hard to say if it helped physically or not - although it did make me feel as if I was doing somethign to help myself and that was good. 

I started getting some significant facial movement back in my cheek and upper lip between 6 and 7 months - enough so that I now can make a pretty decent smile.  Still can't close my eye or move my forehead or lower lip/chin. 

To answer your question about over-exercising - YES, you can overexercise your face and this can cause problems like synkinesis (muscle twitches and pulls and facial distortions). 

The reason I am getting ready to see an NMFR is that I am starting to get some early signs of synkinesis as well as muscle spasms in my cheek and chin.  My neurotologist recommended that I see a specialist to give me some specific exercises for this stage of my facial recovery.

The challenge is that there are not a lot of NMFRs around.  I am traveling about 2.5 -3 hours to the nearest one.  I suggest that you talk to your neurotologist about whether you need to see an NMFR.  Also, you can find some very good informatoin about this on the Bells Palsy website, specifically the pages about facial exercises:

http://www.bellspalsy.ws/exercise.htm

I am sure others here who have far more experience with this than I will also be posting with some good information (and I'll check back to read it, too!)  In the meantime, have patience.

Debbi

[CROOKEDSMILE]

My facial retrainer told me that if you manually do the exercises with your fingers doing the work that it is worthless. It is like going to the gym and putting a weight in your hand but sitting there while someone else lifts your hand for you.... in other words taking off all of the weight and doing all the work for you. For the facial muscles to strengthen you must let them do the work and to "reteach" your brain you can't assist the muscles with your hands....This is my trainers advice....who knows if it is right@
You never want to i.e. smile as hard as you can or try to squeeze your eye as hard as possible because you will put yourself at risk for synkinesis. All exercises have to be done gentle while focusing on moving only the muscle that you are working. For instance when you close your eye try not to let the mouth pull up or when you smile watch for those neck muscles as you don't want to be smiling so hard that the neck muscles are trying to help out. I have been very diligent with my exercises until the holidays came around and I've been too busy with company. ya know.........everyone says these exercises work but I, myself, sometimes wonder if they really work. I do know that they help with correcting synkinesis because I have overcome lots of that with the prescribed therapy but as far as it helping strengthen my blink or strengthen my smile has yet to be seen. I do them anyway because....what do I have to lose@
Angie

[Jaki]

Thanks Debbi and Angie,

I am not sure whether we have a NMFR specialist in Slovenia but I am seeing a physiotherapist every now and then. Now I haven't been there because of the holiday and my family have been giving me a hard time regarding excercising, like everything depends on exercises. I do exercise but I can't spend all day in front of the mirror.

I will also check other topics on the forum (in time, I still get tired if reading for too long, especially on computer), I found you only post-operation but I am glad I did.

Meanwhile take care,

Jaki

[jazzfunkanne]

ANGIE I WAS TOLD TOO DO THE EXECISES WITH YOUR FINGERS AS IT CUTS DOWN ON  synkinesis

[CROOKEDSMILE]

Yeah....Really lets us know that no one is a TRUE expert on facial paralysis therapy. Kinda scary, huh? My facial therapist was trained by Jackie Diehls but who knows what we are REALLY supposed to be doing. I know NOTHING about it other than I have it and I can only trust that what my NMR therapist says is hopefully good information but I'm always willing to try something else!
Angie