Facial Rehabilitation
Facial rehabilitation is designed around you. The support we provide will depend on what has caused your facial palsy, how long you’ve had it, and how your facial nerve has been affected.
You may see a physiotherapist or a speech and language therapist as part of your care. Wherever you are in your recovery, we’re here to guide you with practical advice, reassurance, and a personalised plan.
Your First Appointment
Your first session is about understanding your experience and what you need.
We’ll talk with you about:
- Your symptoms and when they started
- Any changes or improvements you’ve noticed
- Your general health
We’ll also gently assess how your face is working. This may include:
- Looking at your face at rest and during simple movements (like smiling or closing your eyes)
- Checking muscle strength and any tightness
- Assessing how well your eye is protected
In some specialist centres, we may use small sensors on the skin to measure muscle activity. This is quick and painless—but not always necessary.
If needed, we can arrange referrals to other specialists, such as an eye doctor, to make sure you’re fully supported.
Understanding Your Facial Palsy
We believe it’s important that you understand what’s happening.
We’ll explain:
- How your facial nerve has been affected
- What your symptoms mean
- What recovery may look like
We’ll also help you become more aware of how your face moves and feels. This awareness is an important part of improving control and confidence.
Your Treatment Plan
Your treatment plan will be tailored to you and may include:
Education and guidance
We’ll show you how your facial muscles work and how to support recovery day-to-day.
A personalised home programme
This may include:
- Gentle massage to keep muscles relaxed
- Stretching to reduce tightness
- Simple exercises to improve movement and control
- Relaxation techniques to ease tension
- Exercises to help manage unwanted movements
In the early stages, we may not ask you to practise facial movements straight away. This gives your muscles time to recover before introducing movement exercises.
Doing Your Exercises
Facial exercises should always be gentle and controlled.
Pushing too hard or forcing movement can sometimes lead to problems such as tightness or unwanted movements (called synkinesis). That’s why we guide you carefully and adjust your programme as you progress.
Doing your exercises regularly—usually every day—can make a big difference, and we’ll support you throughout.
Your Recovery
Recovery from facial palsy takes time, and everyone’s journey is different. It can take several months to see progress.
With the right support, regular practice, and patience, many people see meaningful improvement.
We’re here to support you every step of the way
At Faces Physio we are passionate about addressing the underlying causes of your symptoms, Through thorough assessment and with a combination of education, advice, manual therapy and self care exercises aim to resolve your pain and prevent its recurrence. Should onward referral be necessary we liaise with GPs, ENTs, Neurologists etc in order to facilitate appropriate care for all of our clients.