Facial Massage

[ddaybrat]

Thought I'd pass this on to the rest of you who are dealing with facial paralysis as I am....

I'm almost 4 months out from surgery. My facial nerve was not cut, but my face is paralyzed.  My family says my face has improved during the last couple of months, but still no movement.  My physical therapist suggested that I use an electric massager to massage my face...especially the area in which the facial nerve goes from above the ear to the face.  He said to spend a few minutes using each of the different massage heads that came with it.  This is a technique that he uses for stroke victims to stimulate the nerves.  He says he didn't know if any one head is more effective than another, but the massage does seem to help. 

I was able to purchase an inexpensive massager for under $10 at Walmart that had two speeds and 6 different massage heads.  I've used it several times.  It's too early to know if it is helping, but it certainly can't do any harm.  I have noticed some additional soreness in the area above my ear.  It's been tender since surgery and becomes swollen and even more tender from time to time so I don't know if the massage is irriitating it or if it's simply in one of it's irritable stages.

[Soundy]

I have several massagers and can not stand any of them on my head , face or neck ... they all seem to be just too much stimulation of nerves even on lowest  settings and give me headaches ... I do have a good shower head with multiple settings and the massage setting with medium flow does me alot of good ... if you find the massager is too much stimulation you might look into a good massage shower head ... I start out with just regular shower spray until muscles and skin are warmed up and start stretches ...then switch to massage and let it do the work as I continue stretches

I also started massage with a PT yesterday and too soon to tell how that is going to work  out

let us know how thins go ... I have learned as have most others , what works great for one may cause more issues for another ... sharing all we learn may help someone else ... good luck

[deheisel11]

I was about to post a question about electrical stimulation but saw your posting.  I also have an intact facial nerve but facial paralysis.  I had surgery 9 weeks ago for a 2.6 cm neuroma.  I am concerned that my facial muscles will lose tone as I wait for the facial nerve to repair itself.  I had scheduled an appointment with PT but before the appointment I received the pamphlet from ANA on Facial Nerve which states on page 7 that electrical stimulation should never be used during the healing phase.  However the PT said she had never heard that and that she uses a handheld 9-volt stimulator on many other nerve issues.  She was going to check with the manufacturer.  Does anyone have any bottom line info on this?  Best of luck with both of you.  I hope the stimulation works.

[Cheryl R]

No to using electrical stimulation on the face!     It makes for a greater chance of developing synkinesis.    Facial muscles are of a different type of fiber than regular muscles and do not atrophy the way a regular muscle might over what seems like a long period of time.                 Muscles will not work until the nerve heals enough to let them work.    This can be a slow process of  several months in some cases. Not fun to live with as have been thru it.       This has been told to us at every AN symposium by a very well known facial therapist Jackie Diels of Madison WI.               It is hard to be patient with letting the face heal.   It does for many but not all.              Jackie does not even see pts in most cases until close to a year post op for help if needed with tightness and getting the muscles to work right if needed.                                   Cheryl R

[lori67]

I agree with Cheryl - don't use electrical stim for AN related nerve damage.  It's used quite successfully for treatment of Bell's Palsy and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, but the mechanism of injury in those conditions is much different than the physical injury that can happen from a tumor or surgery.  It's much easier to learn to be patient and wait for spontaneous healing of the nerve than it is to correct the synkinesis that is more likely to develop after using electrical stim.

I can understand your PT's confusion on this (because I'm a PT and they don't teach you about AN's in school), but I would not let anyone talk you into using it without doing a lot of research first.

As far as massage, I don't think you'll do any damage that way, as long as it's gentle, so I'd say if it makes you feel better, then give it a whirl.  If it hurts, then I probably wouldn't do it.

AN's have a way of teaching us to be patient, if nothing else! 
Lori

[Soundy]

I don't use or have ever used any electrical stimulation on my face ... just have found that the vibration type massagers too stimulating ... don't know if it is the contact or the buzzing that gets me ... for me the water massage from shower head works best ... with only one massage therapy session under my belt , the jury is still out there ...

I think the worst part for me facially is that I am 3 years out and seeing a return of facial symptoms ... twitches , numbness , irritation but not really pain , dribbling sometimes when I drink , eye dryness and increased metal mouth taste ...

Lori ... this has taught me patience and now that is being put to the test ...

[ddaybrat]

I'm glad I posted this.  It's good to see the discussion on it.  I had never seen anything on it either.  I appreciate the warnings concerning the electrical massage.  God knows we all go through too much already with ANs and the after effects of treatment.  No one wants to cause themselves more problems.