My Facial Therapy

     I've been really busy this past year working on my health.  It's been a very tough journey but I've come a long ways.  I tried a lot of different things and most of them were unsuccessful.  I don't want to bore you with all my failures so I'll tell you about my successes.  Last year I started having Facial Physical Therapy with Janene Holmberg, PT, DPT, NCS.  She is a facial rehabilitation specialist with the Intermountain Hearing & Balance Center located 230 S 500 E Suite 150, SLC 801-595-1700.  My experience with her was AMAZING!  Am I sugar coating it?  Perhaps, but my results speak for themselves.  

     When I first met with her, she did an exam, but it was the oddest exam I've ever had.  She told me to make different faces & she took pictures.  She measured both sides of my face to see what areas I needed to work on the most.  She told me to take a daily multivitamin (after some research I picked New Chapter Women's Daily & my hair & nails grow like crazy!).  She taught me visualization relaxation techniques because I needed to learn to manage my stress & take some down time for myself.  She suggested that I read The Migraine Brain by Carolyn Bernstein because I have way too many migraines per month & see a neurologist for my headaches.  I did go see a neurologist but their answer was to try different drugs, which I did & because of the horrible side effects I quit them ALL.  I am taking a daily low dose Aspirin & it has lowered my migraine threshold enough to give me relief.  Janene suggested that I start exercising 5-7 times per week.  This was particularly hard for me.  I was able to go walking more & more but it didn't really help until I started running, biking & using the elliptical on a very routine basis.  When I exercise, and I mean really exert myself for at least 30 minutes, 4-5 times per week, I feel better than I have in years.  

     Janene explained that when you get Bells Palsy the nerves are actually severed.  They have to re-grow and sometimes synkenesis occurs which means the nerves grow back to the wrong place.  This is why when I smile my eye closes just a little.  Through micro movement exercises, you can re-train your nerves to do what you want them to do.  Janene showed me how to do facial exercises that she catered to my facial needs.  They were difficult to do.  They are ultra tiny movements.  She was always telling me to SLOW DOWN!  Or she told me- TINY!  I thought that physical therapy would last a few weeks and then I would have immediate improvement and be pain free!  That's not how it works.  What you put into it is what you get out of it.  I spent almost a year in therapy with Janene.  Each session lasted for about 2 hours with about 6 weeks in-between our appointments.  The first few months were the hardest because I didn't think I was making any improvements.  My headaches were horrible but Janene was able to explain to me that my facial pain & my migraines were bouncing back & forth off each other triggering one or the other.  

     After a few sessions I got the feel for what I needed to do at home.  I practiced every day, ok, almost everyday ;)  Then I started to see results.  There was a muscle just under my bottom lip that I had completely lost function of.  Through her help, I can use that part of my face again!  My smile became more even.  My eye doesn't close when I talk, smile & laugh as much as it did before.  I can feel when I am making mistakes without looking in mirror & self correct.  

     The most important thing I have learned is that I can't just do one of the things I have talked about to feel better.  It has been a life-style change.  I have to take time for myself and relax.  I have to eat healthy and get adequate rest.  I have to work on my face with my facial exercises.  I have to keep fit by exercising routinely.  What has worked for me might work for you but since every body is different you'll have to find what works for you.  Good Luck!