ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: MAlegant on August 16, 2008, 05:59:25 am
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So, here's two questions for y'all:
I have very slight facial weakness still; not really noticeable by anyone else but I can see it. At the end of a very long day yesterday it was worse. Do these things get worse as we get more fatigued? Also, because of the numbness I have to work pretty hard to speak/enunciate so that I can be understood. Has anyone ever had OT or PT for this? I imagine as feeling returns it will get better but my job requires that I talk a lot, some to large groups, and I'm a little worried about this.
Thanks,
Marci
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Hi Marci,
I had major numbness after surgery (along with paralysis). It (sensation and mobility) is much better 10 wee.ks out. I can now rub my lips together after applying chapstick (impossible in the first week!). I am sure that your speech will improve.
Good luck,
Trish
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Thanks Trish. You mean I should be patient? I'm trying, I really am....by the way, your 10 week update was really terrific. I'm happy to see that you're doing so well and your positive attitude (and patience) are good motivation for me. (That baby of yours is adorable.)
Marci
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Marci,
I had major numbness after surgery - the entire right lower half of my face was very numb, including the right half of my tongue, my lips and my teeth. I had major problems with speech because of it. I had other problems, too, but they are either gone or are close to gone. The problems improved when the numbness improved. I got my first major improvement at 3 months. Before that, I was seriously worried if I am going to improve at all and was e-mailing everybody who was potentially in the same situation.
If your face moves, just like mine, then you don't need any facial exercises, such as given to you by PT. Speech clarity is addressed by speech therapy, so you might want to think about that. They are hit or miss, just like any therapist. I got a lot of rejections (just like surgery) when I actually found somebody who was willing to work with me. She told me of a woman whose face was completely numb after surgery and who initially could not be understood at all but in 2 months spoke beautifullly and clearly. So, you might want to keep it as a rough estimate of time needed to improve your speech. I said a rough estimate because you can be better or worse, because everybody is different and because you are starting at a different point. Good luck to you! Keep as posted as to your progress!
Eve
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marci-tirednesss definitely makes my speech worse and i can see more of a visible droop to my lip. i think my speech gets worse though because my brain is overtaxed and i have trouble saying what i want to say. that's a different issue i think. patti
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Marci, I can't answer the questions for you (but glad others here can) but I'm sending the healing hugglez your way that this will pass soon. Hang in there!
Phyl
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Marci:
Just an uneducated guess but I believe that fatigue/tiredness would affect your speech if you have some facial weakness to begin with as the muscles and nerves that govern speech are all interconnected, as you know. I base this on the fact that I still have a slight dry eye as a reminder of my surgery but it's only noticeable to me when I'm tired (or exposed to wind).
As a former broadcaster who underwent speech therapy to lose my Noo Yawk accent and learn how to get the most from my voice with breath control, speaking from the diaphragm, etc., I highly recommend it. I took my training from a Columbia university (N.Y.) professor of speech who amazed me with what we can change about our speech with some training and practice. If you feel you need it, I would advise seriously considering speech therapy. Of course, speaking French will also act as a form of therapy. ;)
Jim
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Merci. J'espere que ce devient meilleur bientot. J'parlerai Francais. Ayez un bon week-end!
Marci
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Marci:
I hope so, too.
Uncommonly temperate weather here in New England should help make this a fine weekend. I intend to make it so. :)
Jim
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hey marci, i don't have facial weakness but after my surgery, i found that i was not able to enunciate my words well, especially when i am talking fast. I found that it helps if I slow down to find my words and if I take my time to speak. It kinda focus my brain on my speech, hope this helps and i am interested to know what others have been doing to improve their enunciation?
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Hi Marci,
I also have facial paralysis and numbness which has affected my speech from time to time. Before I had my surgery I read about someone else who would say the alphabet to help. Being a teacher who teaches phonetics to other teachers I took that one step further and would say the sound of each letter of the alphabet. I also read aloud (to my students at school). I think all of the talking I do as a teacher gives me a lot of practice. Now I rarely have any problems with my speech. Seems to be the theme lately. TIME heals most all things.
Jean
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My speech gets pretty slurred the more tired I get. No one else seems to notice it - or at least they tell me they don't - but I can tell when it's not quite right. Then I know it's either time to shut up or time to go to bed. :D
Jim and Marci - I don't think speaking French would help with my enunciation. I think my brain would just be further confused about what I wanted my mouth to do! I'd probably wind up making up my own language!
And Jim, why would anyone want to lose their New York accent??
Lori - sticking to English with my NY/NJ/Southernese accent.
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Lori,
I grew up in Atlantic City, so I am partial to all things (and people) Jersey.
M
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And Jim, why would anyone want to lose their New York accent?
When they wanted (as I did) to become a radio announcer that can work anywhere in the country without sounding 'local'. Back then, the standard for radio announcers was to have no 'regional' accent at all, be it Noo Yawk, 'southern' or even mid-western (more discernible than you might think). Advertising agencies wouldn't use an announcer with any kind of accent, unless you were a celebrity. That's pretty much gone by the wayside, but I have a friend (who lives in Beverly Hills, California and was my intern 30 years ago at a small AM radio station in Connecticut) who does all the voiceovers for the Fox network, the Oscars and other big TV shows as well as TV commercial voiceovers and he has absolutely no accent at all (never did) so the 'standard' has not totally evaporated.
I know you had your tongue firmly lodged in your cheek with your question but I thought it deserved an explanation, all the same.
Actually, when I'm around my sister (who grew up with me on Long Island and lived in Manhattan for over 30 years) I slowly revert to my Noo Yawk accent, which amuses my wife to no end. I also tend to be more assertive when I'm in New York. Go figure. :)
Jim
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Hi Eve,
Can you tell me if the "just coming out of novocaine" feeling drove you crazy? It is making me insane. Should I use warm compresses? Cold compresses? Should I drink heavily? Help!
Marci
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Hi Marci-
Just saw your post and wanted to respond. YES, your face will be "droopier" when you are tired, and your speech may also slur. Mine still does. You may find that Ps and Bs are particularly tricky - these are very hard sounds to make if you can't purse your lips.
I did see a speech therapist (I make my living talking, so slurring for life wasn't an option!) and they gave me some specific exercises to address this. They also recommended tongue twisters to help me with the slurriness - I still do Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers and Betty's Bitter Batter almost daily. And, as I have gradually gotten some movement back in my face, the slurriness has gotten better - still a problem when I am tired, though.
For the general numbness on your face - my surgeon recommended warm compresses and that does seem to help. Interestingly, the facial therapist I saw also suggested taking a very cold metal spoon and running it around inside my cheek and gums - she said it helps to stimulate the nerves in the face.
I'd be happy to send you the print out of the exercises I am using, if you'd like. Just PM me with your address if interested.
And, be patient! I just posted some pictures on my blog from this weekend if you want to see how my face looks 3.5 months post op.
Debbi, feeling your pain!
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Funny - I thought Marci was telling us to eat bon-bons all weekend until I read Jim's subsequent reply!
Personally, I found even my bite was off due to the swelling. The doctors (and someone here mentioned it) said 3 months till it would come down, and voila: I could enunciate fairly clearly. Infact, I was so floored last week, when I read a thread about whistling, and I tried it - and to my suprise I whistled the Olympic theme! Not a concerto, mind you, but enough of a milestone that I called up (people who would be excited for me - like my mom!) and whistled at them!
Fatigue does bring out a slur, but that is getting better daily. You will be talking clearly soon too!
Julie
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Marci -
I'd go with the drinking heavily. That way if you slur your speech, you'll know why. It also can help explain the drunken sailor walk.
Jim, when I'm back home my Jersey accent - and of course, the attitude - comes right back! It must be a survival of the fittest thing!
Lori
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Lori,
My east coast (South Jersey/Phila.) accent comes back within minutes of being around my relatives. I'd definitely go with the survival of the fittest!
M
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Marci,
That was and still is one of my biggest complaints. It did ease up for me when I took the Neurontin. When it is really bad I need a very soft pillow and a warm cloth, with the effected side of my face down on the pillow. It drove me insane when I was working and than lead to major headaches. I ended up having a root canal for nothing.
Anne Marie
P.S. My GP calls this neuropathic pain
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Anne Marie,
Thanks. I've taken random drugs ( :P) and it's better tonight. It's also called "Paresthesia" if I'm spelling it correctly, and it comes from the nerves trying to regenerate. This is good news, as annoying as it is. Here's hoping anyway!
M