Physical therapy (hereinafter referred to as physical therapy), as well as massage for a disease such as facial neuritis (or Bell's palsy), are important components of an integrated approach to eliminate facial problems on the skin of the face. In this article, you can get acquainted with what the features of exercise therapy for facial neuritis are, how to massage properly.
general information
Unpleasant symptoms of facial nerve damage appear as a result of various diseases (for example, otitis media, circulatory disorders of the brain, skull fracture, brain tumor, hypothermia, infection). All disorders are expressed in the form of paralysis of facial and chewing muscles. In most cases, they appear only on one side, rarely on two sides at once.
A special complex of exercise therapy for facial neuritis, massage, special treatment should be performed from the first days of the manifestation of this disease. Physiotherapy exercises, as well as massage, significantly improve the blood flow in the damaged parts of the face, gradually restoring the functionality of your facial expressions, contributing to the return of correct and clear speech.
Exercises for the basic period of therapy
The base period is usually called the time of onset of the disease: from the 1st to the 10th day. During this period, the patient is put on a special corset on the face (posture therapy), and then proceed to exercise therapy for neuritis of the facial nerve. The exercises used during this period are considered preparatory, that is, basic. Therefore, in no case should overload be allowed. Exercise therapy for facial neuritis is carried out 2 times a day for 10 minutes each.
Before starting them, the face is massaged for 2-3 minutes, gently rubbing the skin. Before starting the basic exercises of exercise therapy for neuritis of the facial nerve, the following steps should be done:
- Circular motion on the closed skin of the eyelids.
- Stroking movements up and down the wings of the nose.
- In conclusion, movements along the line of the eyebrows, starting from their middle and ending with the temples.
Self-massage is also performed after the base complex is completed.
Below are examples of the complex of exercise therapy for neuritis of the facial nerve in the base period:
- Strain and relax muscle tissue on a healthy area of the face.
- Strain the muscle tissue involved in the facial expressions of a particular group.
- Pronounce sounds with the mouth in the formation of which the lips take part (for example, c, m, p, b, y, o, f).
Performing these tasks of exercise therapy for facial neuritis prepares the facial muscles for major training.
Core therapy exercises
Therapeutic classes in the main part, the duration of which reaches 3 months, is aimed at restoring the facial activity of muscle tissues. At this time, the peripheral system of muscle tissues should be used in the complex of exercise therapy exercises for facial neuritis in order to achieve the desired effect.
The duration of this position therapy at this time increases to 6 hours daily. It is also alternated with the so-called acupressure of the muscles of the face.
At this time, the most important component of therapy is exercise therapy. With neuritis of the facial nerve, physiotherapy exercises are performed in front of the mirror so that the patient can observe his facial expressions. The first lessons must be carried out under the supervision of an experienced instructor.
Consider several examples of exercise therapy at this time:
- Move your eyebrows up and down.
- Close your eyes, look away with closed eyelids, but you must hold them with your hand.
- Exercise number 3 with exercise therapy for neuritis of the facial nerve suggests that you need to smile and do not open your mouth.
- Squint.
- Exhale air, vibrate with your lips (as if snorting).
- Inflate your nostrils.
- Lift one lip in succession and then the second lip so that the gum is visible.
- Frown.
- Smile, opening your mouth wide during this.
- Light a match and blow out the fire.
- “Rinse” the water in the mouth with the mouth closed, while trying to “preserve” the liquid inside without spilling it.
- Whistle.
- Take air in cheeks, let it out.
- Take air into your cheeks, “drive” it from one cheek to another.
- Lower the corners of the lips.
- Stick out your tongue, try to turn it into a tube.
- Show the language.
- Stick out your tongue, move it left and right.
- Close your mouth, fold your lips with a duck, and pull them forward.
- Move your finger in a circle, watch it closely with your eyes.
- Close your mouth, pull the cheeks into yourself as much as possible.
- Try to close the lower lip of the upper.
- Close your mouth and slide your tongue over the gums from below and above.
Articulation
Also, exercise therapy exercises for neuritis of the facial nerve are performed to improve articulation abilities:
- Pull the sounds and oh, y.
- “Cover” the entire upper dentition with the lower lip and say f, p, c.
- Speak in, fu, oh, poo, ko, fi.
You also need to pronounce words by syllables: o-kosh-ko, i-vol-ga, etc. When the nerve endings are restored, you can use exercises with resistance. A hand can serve as such a resistance tool. It is as if it “interferes” with the necessary movements, thereby increasing muscle tension.
Such exercises can be performed 5 times each, between them making small pauses to rest.
If the functionality of facial expressions is not fully restored, the exercises are distributed in such a way as to limit the entire moving area of the face. This technique will help to “mask” the defect.
For the residual stage
Starting from the 4th month of the development of the disease, with proper and regular training, the so-called residual period begins. This is the name of the time when the patient has a clear improvement in the facial features of the affected parts of the face, but the residual symptom is still preserved. The duration of this period is usually 2-3 months.
For better dynamics, consolidation of the result, it is important to continue to perform exercises from the main stage of the training. The main task at this time is to increase muscle activity, restoring facial symmetry.
Compliance with medical recommendations, as well as a combination of therapeutic gymnastics, massage will be the key to sustainable recovery and restoration of facial muscles.
Massage for recovery after neuritis
With such an unpleasant disease as facial neuritis, facial massage is the second most important component of treatment, which is inextricably linked with therapeutic exercises. Apply it at all stages of treatment before and after exercise therapy. The result of such regular massage for the disease are the changes described below.
Complete elimination or reduction of pain
With the help of stroking, you can eliminate disorders of the neuralgic and sensitive type. They seem to “distract” from the main source of pain, stopping it. With regular exposure to massage movements, analyzers of soreness and tactile sensations “train”, due to which their sensitivity decreases, and painful sensations pass along with them.
Blood flow improvement
Stroking or point movements increase the patient’s blood circulation in the arterial blood, not allowing it to stagnate in the veins, improving metabolic processes. They are also able to accelerate the breakdown of fat and protein products, so the inflammatory process is quickly eliminated, the conductivity of nerves and trophic tissue improves.
Massage Efficiency
Regular, as well as correctly performed massage movements are an effective way to restore facial expression. But in each patient, the nervous system will respond to it in completely different ways: some patients have an almost instantaneous response, while others have a more belated reaction.
Depending on the saturation of pain, as well as the severity of nerve damage, massage therapists adjust the parameters for performing massage movements:
- The power of exposure.
- Session Duration
- Speed.
The longer the massage is done, the greater the effect of it.
Massage Technique
For the treatment of neuropathy, 2 main techniques of massage movements are used:
- Point.
- Stroking.
The acupressure on specific points of the body, which are officially recognized as biologically active zones, is called acupressure. In case of neuritis, by pressing soft movements, the effect occurs on the following points:
- Over the eyebrows.
- At the temples.
- Over the eyes.
- Under the cheekbones.
- In front of the ears.
- On the wings of the nose.
- In the dimple of the chin.
Each point is massaged for 10-15 seconds. At the same time, two sides of the face “take part” in the massage: healthy and sick.
Acupressure is performed only in front of the mirror: this way the patient will be able to control the response from the facial muscles to the massage. If another person will do it, then the patient must be laid on some hard surface.
After 3-4 minutes of massage, the stroking movement is replaced by rubbing. Light tingling is also included in the process.
The duration of the massage should be no more than 10 minutes.
Prevention of neuropathy
At present, no one is immune from the manifestation of unpleasant, painful symptoms of the disease. The inflammatory process, brain disease, and even simple hypothermia can cause the development of one of the forms of neuralgia: inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. If you want to avoid the disease, you must follow the simple rules of a healthy lifestyle:
- Eat well and eat balanced.
- Do sport.
- Temper the body.
- Do not use long conditioner in hot weather.
- Avoid hypothermia, sudden fluctuations in temperature conditions.
You should also consult a doctor in a timely manner for the appointment of treatment for diseases of the throat, ear, nose. During therapy, follow the doctor's recommendations, as well as bed rest.