online therapy available
Facial Therapy and Head & Neck
Sarah-Jane and Penny both include Facial Therapy in their specialisms.
Sarah-Jane worked as the Facial Therapist for the Region, as part of the team that set up the NHS Oxford Facial Palsy Service.
Penny has worked for many years with people who have been diagnosed with cancer of the mouth and throat and is highly experienced in providing therapy for a range of difficulties affecting these areas.
The term facial palsy generally refers to weakness of the facial muscles, mainly resulting from temporary or permanent damage to the facial nerve. As the Facial Therapist for the Region I worked with a wide variety of facial palsy causes, including Bell's palsy, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, head trauma, surgery and stroke. Advice and treatment will vary depending on the cause of the facial palsy.
Symptoms
Symptoms will depend on the cause and degree of your facial palsy, but may include:
- Difficulty with facial expressions such as smiling.
- Difficulty closing your eyes and irritation to the eye.
- Difficulty controlling food and drink in your mouth.
- Changes to your speech.
- Tightening of over-active muscles.
- 'Unwanted' extra movements e.g. eye twitching when smiling (medical term synkinesis).
- Altered taste.
- Increased sensitivity to sound.
Other areas we support:
- Jaw stiffness (Trismus)
- Recovery after surgery or treatment for cancer
What we offer
- An initial assessment. This is to build a picture of the difficulties being faced by the client. An overview of initial findings and preliminary recommendations will be provided, including potential further facial therapy options.
- Individualised therapy. This may include exercises and stretches for flexibility, symmetry, strength and control of facial muscles and facial expressions
- Support to you, and those around you, in understanding your facial palsy
- Assessment and advice on eating and drinking if required
- Exercises for speech if required
- Comprehensive reports
- Client centred goal setting
- Reviews to monitor progress
Please note we do not diagnose causes of facial palsy. Please seek urgent medical advice if you have a new facial weakness.
Links
Facial Palsy UK is a charity that offers specific information and support to people affected by facial palsy due to any cause.