Exercise With Bell's Palsy
Bell's Palsy is a temporary condition that affects the nerves in the face. It usually appears on one side of the face and once you get it, you may be prone to getting it again. You may wake up with a pain in the neck and within hours realize half your face is frozen. It does not affect other parts of the body and goes away in about two weeks.
Instructions
1. Get to know your face before you begin exercises to restore movement so that you can know what muscles perform which functions. Find a picture of the face muscles and use it for a reference.
2. Rub the side of your face with the palsy with moist heat and massage to work sensation back into your face as part of your exercise routine.
3. Work the muscles gently and slowly. You will not be able to move them at first; you just need to remember do it when the feeling begins to return. Use a mirror to watch the other side of your face. When feeling returns, you want to regain a balanced look.
4. Watch the muscles in a mirror as you try to work them. If you are moving your eyebrow and see your check move, then stop the exercise and think about the movement and where it originated. Be careful that your neck muscles do not become overused and pop out from the strain.
5. Wait a day or two before beginning the facial exercises, using the heat and massage. Give the nerves and muscles time to heal from the initial trauma. It takes longer than a week or so for muscles to begin to atrophy so you are in no danger of permanent damage if you wait.
Tags: your face, Bell Palsy, Exercise With, Exercise With Bell, heat massage, side your, side your face