Regain Control from Bell’s/Facial Palsy With Physical Therapy
Understanding Bell’s Palsy and the benefits of physical therapy can play a crucial role in helping patients adjust and recover from facial paralysis. Bell’s Palsy is a temporary condition that causes sudden facial paralysis, resulting in a lack of muscle control on one or both sides of the face. While physical pain is rare, the emotional toll can be significant as facial muscle paralysis can lead to disfigurement and difficulty performing everyday tasks such as smiling or chewing. Common symptoms include drooping of the face, inability to close the eye(s), loss of taste, drooling, and difficulty speaking.
Physical therapists, especially in Huntington Station, NY, can help patients regain control over their facial muscles and learn strategies to manage daily functions despite the paralysis. Contact Long Island Physical Therapy today to benefit from the expertise of our physical therapists. We are committed to helping you improve your daily function and facilitate recovery from Bell’s Palsy. Choosing to work with our proactive physical therapists is a step toward regaining control over your facial muscles and enhancing your overall well-being.
What is Bell’s Palsy?
Bell’s Palsy is a temporary facial paralysis that can cause partial or complete paralysis of your face. The condition comes on suddenly, leaving patients without control of the muscles on one or both sides of their face. Bell’s Palsy rarely causes physical pain but can have an emotional toll on a patient. Facial muscle paralysis can cause disfigurement and make usually simple tasks (smiling, chewing) extremely difficult.
Here are 5 of the most common symptoms of Bell’s Palsy:
- Drooping of part of the face
- Inability to close eye (or eyes)
- Loss of taste
- Drooling
- Difficulty speaking
How is Bell’s Palsy Diagnosed?
Bell’s Palsy cannot be determined by a specific test. If you are experiencing symptoms of the condition, your doctor will likely ask you to do simple movements like frowning, lifting your eyebrows, or closing your eyes. A unique symptom of Bell’s Palsy is the suddenness of the condition’s onset, which may happen in a matter of hours.
Similar to the lack of specific testing, there is not a singular cause of Bell’s Palsy. Studies have suggested that the herpes virus, pregnancy, obesity, or chronic high blood pressure may contribute to the onset of the condition.
How Can Physical Therapy Aid My Recovery?
For most patients with partial or complete facial paralysis, the effects of Bell’s Palsy are temporary, often resolving within 6 months. Recovery from this condition can occur naturally. However, physical therapy can help patients regain control over their facial muscles. A physical therapist can also show you how to manage daily functions with paralysis.
Physical therapy treatment for Bell’s Palsy utilizes “initiation” and “facilitation” exercises. Initiation exercises will teach you to cause facial movement, as your therapist teaches you how to position your face. These initiation exercises help trigger facial movement in the early stages of Bell’s Palsy.
Facilitation exercises occur after you have been successful in initiating facial movement. Your therapist in Huntington Station, NY will design exercises to strengthen and control your facial muscles. Paired with movement exercises, these activities will help you regain the movement and coordination previously lost due to Bell’s Palsy.
Contact Long Island Physical Therapy today!
At Long Island Physical Therapy, our physical therapists are here to help you improve your daily function with Bell’s Palsy and move towards recovery. Working with our physical therapists is a proactive solution for patients with Bell’s Palsy. Contact us today
