Facial Paralysis

Facial Paralysis is defined as the inability to move one’s face for eye closure, smiling, and/or facial expression.

Diagnostic Testing and Treatment for Facial Paralysis

Many different testing and treatment techniques are used to aid patients suffering from facial paralysis disorders. Designed to help reinforce proper eye care, improve facial symmetry at rest and during function, improve oral stage swallowing increase speech intelligibility, and/or reduce abnormal tone and unwanted movement, they include:

Nerve Excitability Test (NET)

Maximal Stimulation Test (MST)

Electroneurography (ENoG)

Electromyography (EMG)

Surgical Techniques

Surgical techniques can be used to tailor the best procedures to treat facial paralysis and improve appearance.

Botulinum

Botulinum is sometimes utilized to decrease abnormal facial movement (synkinesis, or "abnormal cross-wiring," of the nerves) for patients.

Neuromuscular Retraining and Oral-Motor Techniques

Medical techniques such as neuromuscular retraining and oral-motor techniques can be used to help diminish paralysis and improve facial muscle and oral control.

Facial Rehabilitation

Facial rehabilitation modalities are utilized to optimize facial muscle tone to improve facial symmetry and strength, as well as to reduce involuntary facial movements caused by synkinesis.

Eye Care

Eye care reinforcement correction strategies for preventing corneal abrasion, gold weight placement to upper eyelid, possible tarsorrhaphy, and lower eyelid tightening.

Surgical Facial Reanimation

Surgical facial reanimation procedures can be successful in increasing lower facial support and movement.

Combined Retraining and Feedback Therapies

By combining oral-motor and neuromuscular retraining approaches, mirror feedback, and biofeedback, some patients can increase ROM, strength and/or decrease synkinesis.

Massage

Electrical Stimulation

Individualized Home Practice Programs