Do you know anyone with Bell’s Palsy? It’s a condition that results in a sudden onset of paralysis/droop to one side of the face and affects 40,000 Americans every year. It’s believed to be caused by the same herpes virus that causes a cold sore.
In 85% of patients that get Bell’s Palsy, the facial paralysis will resolve on its own without any treatment within three months. The other 15% will have lingering nerve issues and asymmetry to the face. And that’s where Jackie Diels come in! Jackie is an occupational therapist and treats patients with synkinesis. This is an abnormal rewiring of the facial muscles after Bell’s Palsy.
After seeing the patient, she teaches patients to “turn off” the abnormal movements through facial retraining. She sees most of her patients via Skype these days because people seek her out for help from across the country. You can hear from her in this podcast below. Through the use of metaphors and analogies, she teaches the patient how to improve their facial symmetry and smile.
Bell’s Palsy facial retraining with Jackie Diels
Additionally, sometimes patients requires BOTOX®Cosmetic or Xeomin to treat their synkinesis, and that’s where a plastic surgeon comes in! See the video below that discusses injectible treatment for Bell’s Palsy.
For more information or questions about Bell’s Palsy or facial retraining, email Jackie at [email protected]
Listen to more of the BuildMyBod Health Podcast by clicking here. And if you have an interesting story to tell and want to be a part of the BuildMyBod Health podcast, email us at [email protected]
Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Jonathan Kaplan for BuildMyBod.
