ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Facial Issues => Topic started by: marg on December 12, 2007, 07:35:47 pm
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Okay,
I am now almost 7 months post surgery and have gone from an eye (on the AN side) that wouldn't close without great concentration -to an eye that I can close easily (except it still doesn't close all the way when I blink) and now in the last couple of days it closes when I chew.... and it is watering llike crazy. What is the deal with this? Boy, never a dull moment. Anybody else experience this?
By the way, anyone else have facial paralysis and then have it totally resolve over time -so the face 'goes back to normal' (pre-surgery)? Just wondering if this adventure ever ends.
I always admired my nephew's dimple in his chin....now I have one...but it is off center and looks odd ::) . Teaching in a classroom these facial changes seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. Nothing like standing up teaching and suddenly have your face pull or a dimple suddenly appear in the chin. :-\ .
Thanks for listening.... I have broncitus and a sinus infection and that probably is not helping the healing process at all. Somebody stop the merry-go- round and let me off the ride :-X
Margaret
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marg,
My eye waters when I eat. At my regular eye check up in Oct (my surgery was in May), the opthamologist said is the facial nerve regenerating fibers that were damaged. He laughed and said its good because it help keep the eye moist.... I told him yeah, but I chewing and tears are running down my cheek from one side only.... I have the hamburger in one hand and the napkin dabbing my eye in the other, I look crazy.
Because of the slight facial numbness which is almost back to normal, the sinus on that side always feel clogged. When I was first post-op, I use to wear Breathe Right strips across my nose, which made the sinus open up. Try that... it might help...
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Quoting this booklet put out by our ANA – available here
https://secure.baxinternet.com/~anausa/for_sale.html
The Facial Nerve and Acoustic Neuroma: Possible Damage and Rehabilitation (AN4)
Tips and information for patients who have facial weakness or paralysis after treatment for acoustic neuroma. Includes an explanation of the facial grading system and some exercises that can be performed at home to improve facial tone.
Price: $2.00
Page 2
“If the facial nerve is only mildly damaged, the “core� (axon) of the nerve itself will generate slowly (approximately one inch per month) all the way back to the branches in the face. But even with only mild damage, there can be some misdirection of fibers. The regenerating fiber can grow down the wrong nerve channel, leaving a result like crossed wires. This “new connection� can cause inappropriate movement, also called synkinesis, such as the eye on the affected side blinking or tearing when one chews.�
Synkinesis definitions
http://www.enotes.com/neurological-disorders-encyclopedia/facial-synkinesis
http://www.answers.com/topic/facial-synkinesis?cat=health
British Bells Palsy Organization pamphlets on-line
http://bellspalsy.org.uk/leaflets.htm
Quote from ANA’s
The Facial Nerve and Acoustic Neuroma: Possible Damage and Rehabilitation (AN4)
Pages 6-7
Neuromuscular Re-Education Techniques
Presently, several therapists in the United States specialize in neuromuscular re-education techniques which can help improve facial expressions and symmetry once movement begins to return. The principle underlying the therapy is that the plasticity of the brain allows fir retraining abnormalities that result damaged facial nerve. This is especially helpful in cases where incomplete recovery has resulted in abnormal facial movement patterns known as synkinesis…
Page 7
…With practice, some acoustic neuroma “alumni� with little, weak or uncoordinated facial movement on the affected side, have retrained existing nerve fibers resulting in additional or improved function…
Marg,
I am suggesting that you:
*get a copy of the ANA booklet from the link above sent to you
* You make an appointment for physiotherapy (your insurance may require a referral from a physician first)
* You are prompt on getting assistance with this and not put it off
Questions to ask before get facial treatment (physiotherapy included)
http://nervous-system.emedtv.com/bell's-palsy/bell's-palsy-treatment-p2.html
I hope some of the above information is helpful and I have not overwhelmed you. :-\
Hugs,
4 :)
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Marg, have you gone to PT for the facial issues? I've been going for a few months now. She couldn't really do much before I started to have some movement, but right about 7 or 8 months, I started to get some. I'm not sure if you are experiencing synkinesis, but it might not hurt to have a PT check it out. It's much easier to try to correct if you catch it early.
Currently, I can't blink, but you do see a little flutter of movement in my eyelid when i try - unfortunately, due to the synkinesis, my upper lip and cheek on that side move when I try to blink. It's pretty minor now and chances are only my PT and I notice it, but we are working on correcting "the wiring" so the right parts move when they are supposed to. Otherwise, if we leave it this way, eventually I will look like I'm snarling when i try to blink. I don't really want that to happen!
If areas of your face like dimples in your chin, laugh lines or the little indent below your nose start to look like they are pulling to one side, it means the muscles on that side are getting stronger than they should be. It could either be on your good side, compensating for the lack of muscle tone on your bad side, or it can be on your bad side, meaning the wrong muscles may be getting activated by the nerve, causing the assymetry.
Hope that didn't sound too confusing. I think I may have confused myself! If you figure out where the "stop" button is for this merry-go-round, let me know!
Lori
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Hi Girls,
I had the dimple also, just to the left of my chin. A muscle that was over working caused the dimple. Sometimes dimples are cute!! But it just added to the "there is something wrong with her" look. Just last month my doctor injected the chin with botox and it is totally gone.... YEAH!!
It will last for about three months and I will need another shot.
Sometimes, things can be fixed so easy!
Patti
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Thank you all. I appreciate all the info. I think I will check out the Physiotherapy thing as soon as I feel better (now on my 2nd batch of antibiotics ) and Christmas is over. My neurosurgeon said that things should resolve on their own..... but I think I'm ready for a second opinion on the facial paralysis with someone who works with it. I need someone in southwest Washington - or the Portland Oregon area. Anybody have someone they would recommend?
Thanks a lot.
Margaret
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Start here
http://www.ohsu.edu/health/meet-our-staff/doctors/doctor.cfm?id=11302
He may have physiotherapists who work with him.
Here is an article that explains “facial retraining specialist�
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002821.html
My own PCP suggests if I have delays in palsy resolve- we examine acupuncture. :-\ However I feel I am having resolve along the schedule predicted by my surgeon – so I will wait it out unless I get synkinesis- then maybe I will explore that alternate medicine practice.
Here is an interesting acupuncture article I came across on synkinesis treatment.
http://www.a1articles.com/article_152503_17.html
This link explains Neuromuscular Facial Retraining (however not in the PNW)
http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/services/rehab/services/facialrehabilitation.asp
This physiotherapists is on the American Academy of Balance medicine website
http://www.americanacademyofbalancemedicine.org/index.php/vestibular_meetings...
Indicated this person gave a presentation at the Vestibular Meetings 2007
Neuromuscular Facial Retraining
Oct. 5–6, 2007
Portland, OR
Instructor: Gaye W. Cronin, OTD, OTR
(800) 487-6530; www.educationresourcesinc.com
It might be worth just calling her to see if she knows of some reputable colleagues in your area (let all of us PNW’ers know if she does!)
Even a call to the 'vestibular lab' at Good Sam Hospital in Portland might have some folks in-the-know who can also point you to a “facial� person.
http://www.legacyhealth.org/body.cfm?id=1902
My experience, in our region, is that the doctors do not network that well with each other … but the physiotherapists’ sure do.
Good luck … and keep us posted.
Cheers,
4
P.S. I was wide awake at 3 am - again! :-\ ::)
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Another good site for information is www.bellspalsy.ns - some of it doesn't apply to us, but there are some good exercises on there.
Also, if you're looking for a PT well trained in facial issues, there is a list. There's a whole list of options on the left side for different information.
Would you look at that, I'm almost as knowledgeable as "4"!! ;)
Lori
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Thanks Lori, I will check it out ;D
Margaret
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Hey Lori,
I could not get that link to display :-\
http://www.bellspalsy.ns/ ???
– I am wondering of it is supposed to be “dot-org� at the end of bellspalsy instead of “ns� or “dot� something else…
Did you mean this one? (dot- org)
http://www.bellspalsy.org/
Or this “dot-net�?
http://www.bellspalsy.net/
(which almost seems like a tabloid ;) )
Or this “dot-ca� ?
http://www.bellspalsy.ca/
(which almost always means a Canadian address)
Or this “dot ms�?
http://www.bellspalsy.ws/
Which has a good facial retraining link
http://www.bellspalsy.ws/retrain.htm
(I have no idea was dot “ms� stands for :-\ )
… but this one seemed to match more what you said,
“ but there are some good exercises on there.�
I am not that knowledgeable -I only just start this “homeschooled Neurotology 101 crash summer course� :D back in May – when I was first diagnosed. and I had to figure out how to spell (heavens knows pronounce ) words like “vestibular schwannoma�, “otolaryngology�, “Retrosigmoid� and “sub occipital� – which all was goobely goop ;) to me …
I did not find a bellspalsy “dot com� … they must have financially had a crash, like the rest of us, back in the late ‘90’s LOL ;D ;)
Anyway it must be Bellspalsy something or other – I wish I did not have that diagnoses too … but hey this AN journey has been quite THE education. Nothing like having a personal problem to motivate one to get more educated… gee maybe I should have taken Latin and Greek in college. LOL :D
Well we may not come out of this any cuter- but we will all come out smarter. ;)
Your research partner,
4 :)
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The website is www.bellspalsy.ws It is the one I mention frequently as Jackie Diels has the info on there.
Cheryl R.
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Thanks Cheryl. Apparently my fingers are suffering from dyslexia.
I should have known - try to keep up with "4" and I get shot down.... :-\ Oh well, I was close!
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Uh oh
Oh Lori I was not shooting you down- not at all. Sometimes that is the problem with the written word is we cannot always understand the intentions or the voice intonations of the writer … and often misunderstandings happen via on-line dialogues.
Gee we all make typos...
I really appreciated the link you shared particularly being that my face often looks like the little face icon you used. :-\
On that link, you shared, is this great webpage.
http://www.bellspalsy.ws/retrain6.htm
Excellent information on this site you shared!
No malice intended here … and the last thing I would ever want you to feel is shot down. So sorry.
Can you forgive me?
4
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What a great site ! I printed off the info. and facial exercizes. Still plan to go see someone...but at least have some info. to start on.
Thanks again,
Margaret
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Oh, I was just teasing you "4"! It takes much more than that to offend me! And yes, i thought the little half-smiley was very appropriate! Looks like me too!
Lori
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I think we could come up with our own AN 'smiley' faces . The ones that are truly like we look (depending on our paralysis extent ) are :( :'( :-\ :-X ;) They don't have the one I need...... I need one that has the winky eye and one side only of a smile....
Margaret
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How about this?(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2406/2122753367_ef63ef7c34_o.gif) When writing a post, click on the image button and use this URL: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2406/2122753367_ef63ef7c34_o.gif
Jeff
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Jeff,
:D
That is great!
:D :D
4 :)
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That looks just like me - now if it only had a bad haircut...
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You guys are sooo funny!!! You bring me joy every day.
Marg my sons Dr said that when he was sick he would have these sort of things happen and even revert back to total paralysis and so far he has been right. I hope this helps. My son has a wonderful sense of humor and even gives himself nick names. The stories I could tell about 3am in the hospital and we are all laughing so hard and the nurses are not amused at all. I hope you are feeling better. 16
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That looks just like me - now if it only had a bad haircut...
catch me on a really bad day.. that is when I give my best "bad" haircuts. :)
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Thanks 16..... I hope things straighten up (ha ha) now that I'm feeling better. I wondered if that would (hopefully) happen. We'll see.
Jeff - love the face....but I need one that has the eye closed and the droopy face on the same side...can you do one of those??? :D
Margaret
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Here you go. (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2125070428_c1d274fdf3_o.gif) at http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2125070428_c1d274fdf3_o.gif
Have a great day,
Jeff
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I am almost 3 years po & my face is looking better but my eye still closes when I eat it is wierd feeling
eve
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Thanks Jeff love it :D
Eve - I talked to Dr Delashaw's physisians assistant today asking for a referral for physical therapy for this 'eye closing while I eat' thing... and he said it doesn't and can't do that - and have it related to my AN facial paralysis. I told him that I have many other AN friends with facial paralysis with problems like this and then I read him the definition from the bell's palsy link about the nerves getting off track and hooking up wrong .....then... he gave me my referal !!
Brother - I am tired of these guys spouting off when it is not their area, they know little about it and they tell me something can't be happening .... when I have it happening to me.
Anyway... I will let you know after I have an appointment and get some info.
Have a Merry Christmas Eve.... and eveyone else :D
Margaret
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I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm glad you got your referral. Let us know how you do. Merry Christmas 16
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Hi Girls,
I had the dimple also, just to the left of my chin. A muscle that was over working caused the dimple. Sometimes dimples are cute!! But it just added to the "there is something wrong with her" look. Just last month my doctor injected the chin with botox and it is totally gone.... YEAH!!
It will last for about three months and I will need another shot.
Sometimes, things can be fixed so easy!
Patti
I too have the off-sided dimple and the "There is something wrong with her look." My surgery was eight years ago. I am considering the botox. Anybody have any advice on this?