Still Recovering from Bell's Palsy?
If Your Recovery Is Slow And More Complicated
Movement Retraining, Massage,
Fascial Release and Supportive Therapies
If you are experiencing complications
You Are Not Alone!
There is sometimes nerve impingement in the neck that can hinder your recovery. Seeing an Upper Cervical Chiropractor, an Osteopath or Cranial Sacral Therapist can be very helpful.
Unfortunately recovery requires patience, you can overdo it, particularly facial exercises. That is why a balance of lengthening and release is essential.
What To Do
Stress Compromises Your Ability To Heal
Medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is stress related. I offer a free audio meditation to induce the relaxation response that you can download and use as often as needed.
Release Therapies - Stretching, Lengthening, Massage
Relaxation, stretching, massage, and patience play a crucial role in Facial Palsy recovery. Facial Palsy movement exercises can be a tug a of war when the muscles are tight or contracted which is very common. It is key to stretch, and massage an area before exercising it. If I would have been aware of this concept I absolutely know my journey would not have been as long or complicated!
Restore Motion by Practicing Natural, Emotion-Driven Movements.
The newest research has uncovered that we use a combination of the emotional centre and the motor centre of the brain to create the myriad of facial expressions. True control and repatterning of facial movement come from coordinating facial exercises with intentional emotional activation.
Build Strength With Resistance Techniques
Resistance training increases muscle strength by making your muscles work against a weight or force. Think of it as increasing the effectiveness of your facial exercises for maximum benefit.
Know What You Are Working With
It is invaluable to be able to visualize both the muscle and perhaps even imagine them expressing while you are working with them. This practice empowers the recreation of neuropathways and the brain/nerve/emotion reaction.
Address the Foundation of the Face—the Neck and Cranial Vault.
This crucial step is often overlooked in other programs. Everything in the body is interconnected; the face does not function in isolation. Just as a building relies on a solid foundation for structural integrity, healing from facial palsy requires a strong base to support lasting recovery and function.
The cranial vault muscles and the neck form this foundation. Before focusing on facial movement, we must first set the stage—establishing stability without worrying about performance.
What To Avoid
Avoid Forcing Facial Exercises If You Are Experiencing Tightness and/or Contraction
If your face begins to get tight or contract, stop forcing movement exercises and focus on release techniques.
When facial muscles are weakened by palsy, they often clamp down to stabilize the area. This protective shortening limits movement and disrupts the natural balance between surrounding muscles—leaving the face uneven, with restricted expression and persistent tightness.
Here’s the key: Recovery Isn’t About Forcing More Movement—It’s About Making Space For Movement To Happen.
Avoid Forcing Facial Expressions
True control and repatterning of facial movement come from coordinating facial exercises with intentional emotional activation. With practice, emotion-based exercises become natural and effortless—key to both preventing and recovering from synkinesis.
Striving For Perfection
At some point in your recovery, the hardest work may not be physical—it’s what happens in front of the mirror. You start analyzing every movement, every asymmetry, every flicker of difference. Perfection creeps in like a shadow.
But here’s the truth: perfection isn’t natural. It isn’t even real.
Most people—those who’ve never had Bell’s Palsy—have quirks and asymmetries in their faces. One eye slightly smaller. A crooked smile. An expressive brow that only works on one side. These differences aren’t flaws. They’re human.
Get inspired with ongoing tips and guidance.
Follow Me
