Bells Palsy Exercises

Bell's palsy is a condition that affects the ability to control facial muscles. The nerve that manages these muscles passes through a small tunnel in bone as it makes its way to the face. If the nerve suffers inflammation and swelling, possibly from an infection, the tunnel becomes too tight for it. This causes a breakdown in the communication system between the nerve and facial muscles, which can lead to paralysis and weakness in those facial muscles. Only one side of the face usually is affected.

Causes And Symptoms Of Bell's Palsy

• The herpes simplex virus is the most frequent cause of Bell's palsy. In addition, the virus that causes shingles or chickenpox, or the one that causes mononucleosis can be the culprit. It occurs more often in people who have diabetes, are pregnant or have an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold or the flu. The warning signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy include facial drooping, difficulty making facial expressions, sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of the face, inability to close the eye or smile, sounds that appear louder on the affected side, headache, pain in, behind or in front of the ear of the affected side, loss of the sense of taste and changes in tear quantity.

Diagnosing Bell's Palsy

• There is no particular test for an official Bell's palsy diagnosis. A doctor will make visual assessments of the weakness in the lower and upper facial muscles. Typically, the condition occurs on only one side, and sometimes it involves the mouth, eyelid or forehead. If there is a distorted appearance or an incapacity to move facial muscles, then Bell's palsy is suspected. Sometimes, the afflicted person can smile but cannot show his teeth. The mouth may droop, or the eyelids may not close. Imaging tests can be done, as well, for further confirmation.

  Facial muscle exercises, or neuromuscular retraining, can be extremely helpful in retraining and sustaining facial muscles. A facial therapist can train the patient in recognizing the assortment of facial muscles for a better understanding of how they function normally.

Bell's Palsy Exercises

• If you have Bell's palsy, you need to execute exercises precisely and slowly and adjust them to your particular situation. First, it is important to familiarize yourself with your face. Use a mirror for accurate monitoring. It is imperative to work the muscles in a gentle, patient manner. The key is to balance the motion with the unaffected side. Try to keep the muscles isolated. Afflicted patients are taught to aim exercises toward particular muscle groups with smaller movements to acquire more precision for the necessary facial movements. Carry out the exercises in a symmetric manner. The facial exercises are to be done in short increments two to three times per day, or more often if possible.

  An assortment of facial exercises can help you regain facial muscle control. Some of these include sniffing, flaring the nostrils, wrinkling the nose, curling the upper lip up while raising it and making it protrude, compressing the lips, puckering and then whistling, pulling thee lips toward the center of the face with a thumb and index finger, raising the eyebrows and holding that position for 10 to 15 seconds, winking with one eye and then the other, and frowning while drawing the eyebrows downward.

  After a facial therapist teaches you the exercises in an office, then you can do them in the comfort of home. The exercises may need to be done for three to five years. Positive results come at a slow pace, but they can be expected to last a long time or be permanent.