What's the next phase of facial nerve recovery?

[Boppie]

At nine months post op I had a return of a sore tongue, some renewed numbness, and a runny nose problem when I chewed.  The dripping got to be ridiculous for about two months.  Today at 12 months, I realize the numbness is gone again, the tongue recovers after every meal and a rinse.  And TA DA! the nose stopped running!  All gone for now!  What is next?  Does the nerve function keep fluctuating from good to bad to good?  I don't understand the healing process for the nerves.  It is out of my control, I guess.

One thing that has been consistent.  For several years I haven't had big tears.  Even in sad situations I just don't have any.  I have enough tears to avoid dry eye but not real gully washers either.

[Pembo]

No tears in sad situations here 2 1/2 yrs post op, my nose doesn't run on the An side either. I've found that my recovery is still happening just very slowly. As the nerves fire up they can cause weird stuff and then it stops and I realize things are better. I just keep hoping the progress continues.......

[Boppie]

Thanks for the reply.  I've had some real whoppers of sad situations happen too, not my own but for my family.  Still no tears!  I can smile and laugh like a crazy, though.  I have to be happy for that!

[nancyann]

so, a 'runny' nose will be a good thing !!! (for me at least)

I'll keep it in mind.    Oh, I got back my 'worry' line on the right side ! - First time I was glad to have a 'wrinkle' lol
I look at that as a good sign also.  No movement yet, but I'm hopeful, crazy, but hopeful !!!

Nancy

[redgrl]

How do you know when your facial nerve is coming back? How does it feel?

[Boppie]

Several posters can give you some information on nerve recovery where the paralysis has caused a lot of immobiility and for a while. 

My surgery was a year ago with only slight facial problems.  My recovery has been very subtle for a very slight eyebrow and cheek change.  My tongue area has been the most prominant problem.  Even so, I have nightly tingling in my lower lip and chin.  It is sort of a quiver that comes and goes.  I haven't noticed significant problems with my lip but there must be something going on there.  My tongue numbness problems come and go too.  At each episode of new numbness I get a renewed time of better sensation and taste.  It is sort of two steps forward, one back, two forward one back with odd time spans between the improvements.

I believe the sequence of recovery is different for each person. 

I believe Joef can give us more information about longer term recovery signs.  It is always verrrrry sloooowww. 

[redgrl]

Thanks Boppie! I have pain on the left side. My upper lip, aboe my left eye and my cheek. It still looks swollen to me and when i wash my face i have to go over those areas lightly. My ENT doc never listens to me. Do you think maybe i should talk to my neurosurgeon? 

[Boppie]

For a few months I had sore spots on my forehead, upper outer cheek, ear lobe, right next to my nostril, and on my upper lip.  These ached like muscle trigger points.  Sometimes these points would twitch.  A warm wash cloth massage usually helped smooth them out.  Sometimes I'd do this two or three times a day.  My face issues are mostly gone now, but just today I noticed a new sore spot in my upper lip line, just a deep sore spot.  My lip twitches at night just as I start counting sheep (just an expression for my relaxation routine)  .

My dentist just says, "These might get better and they might not".  He is very familiar and compassionate about facial nerve paralysis as he does so much oral work.  I doubt your ENT will have more information either.  Your neuro would probably suggest wait and see.  The healing of the facial nerves will probably be the last remnant of your AN as next year passes.  As I said, the nerves heal very slowly.slowly. 

[Boppie]

How do you know when your facial nerve is coming back? How does it feel?

When it is actively making a recovery response it makes a twitch or spasm.  The twitch usually happens at an innapropriate time.  Murphy is always around   .   So this must be a good sign for us. 

If you go out in the wind and cold this winter, take care to cover your face.  At this point you don't want to try to make things happen in your face.  Just rest it.  Keepwarm, and smile!

[Gennysmom]

I'm amazed how much my Dentist is in tune with my facial nerve stuff....very knowledgeable.  Has been very helpful to me, and it's nice because she works in the same block I do, so she's very easy to get to! 

[redgrl]

You sure are right about the cold air! It hurts my face and ear! Thanks again ofr all your help   

[Denise]

Just a quick comment.   My ENT told me it takes about one month to heal a nerve and the facial nerve is approx. 7 inches long.  Unfortunately my facial paralysis is permanent, so I watched and waited in vain.  But that's just MY situation, all AN surgeries and recoveries are VERY different. 

Boppie I hope you have continued success with the recovery of all your facial functions.

DS

[redgrl]

So are there any kinf of tests that they can do to test tthe function of the nerve? What was the point of having translab done if the nerve was affected anyway? I thought it was to help protect the facial nerve. My ENT keeps telling me it will come back just slowly. Im sad can't you tell. 

[Denise]

Oops, I messed up in my last post it takes one month for one inch of nerve to heal. Sorry for the typo.

DS

[redgrl]

Thanks Denise i fell a little better now.