Neuromuscular Rehabilitation for Facial Palsy

Regain Confidence and Joy in Communication

Treatment for Facial Palsy

Facial palsy is a weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles due to damage to the facial nerve. This can happen due to a virus, like Bell’s Palsy, trauma, or excision of certain tumors. Our team specializes in therapies and treatments designed to help you maximize your recovery and reduce negative impacts. Gerriann Jackson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a member of Facial Therapy Specialists International and strives to give our patients the most up-to-date resources available.

We understand how important facial expression is to you—whether it’s sharing a smile, enjoying a meal, or simply closing your eyes to rest. With personalized care and targeted exercises, our approach focuses on neuromuscular facial retraining, along with management of sequalae of facial paralysis, allowing you to communicate, connect, and feel more like yourself again. There’s hope for recovery, and our team of specialists is here to guide you every step of the way.

Our dedicated facial rehabilitation specialists bring advanced expertise in evaluating and treating facial paralysis. We focus on helping you regain natural, coordinated movement through personalized treatments emphasizing neuromuscular rehabilitation for facial palsy.

Depending on your needs, therapy may include one or more of the following techniques:

Soft tissue mobilization to maximize return of movement and increase comfort
Maintenance of cortical representation of the paralyzed side of the face in the brain
Delinking therapy to treat synkinesis
Post-operative muscle training for facial animation surgeries
Eye Care
Eating and drinking difficulties
Treatment for speech impairment due to facial paralysis

The type of therapy you receive will depend on how long you have experienced facial palsy, the cause, and the level of damage to facial nerves. Our team works directly with you to develop a unique treatment plan with your goals in mind.

Your treatment plan starts with an assessment. Following that, our therapists will communicate with you about your particular symptoms, how your facial nerves have been affected, and what recovery looks like. At each step of your treatment plan, the VoiceOver team is here to support your journey toward improved function and confidence.

FAQ: Facial Palsy Rehabilitation

Do I need a referral from a doctor to see a speech pathologist?

Some insurance plans require a referral, but you can always reach out to us to discuss your needs and learn about the best next steps.

Who should consider seeing a facial rehabilitation specialist?

Anyone experiencing facial paralysis, weakness, or abnormal movement patterns due to nerve damage, injury, or a medical condition can benefit from facial rehabilitation. This includes conditions like Bell’s palsy, facial nerve injury from surgery or trauma, and synkinesis.

What conditions may require neuromuscular facial retraining?

Some disorders that contribute to or result in facial paralysis include:

Bell’s palsy / Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
Facial nerve tumors and acoustic neuromas
Cancer of the parotid gland, brain, head, or neck
Ear infections, ear disease, or head trauma
Moebius and Goldenhar syndromes, as well as other genetic conditions
Neurofibromatosis and vascular malformations
Stroke
Surgical complications of head or neck surgery

Do I need to have noticeable paralysis to see a specialist for facial rehabilitation?

No, even subtle issues like facial asymmetry, mild weakness, or difficulty with certain movements may benefit from evaluation and therapy.

Thank you for all your help. All the breathing and relaxation techniques you taught me were crucial throughout my training, and then on race day. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to train to the level I did. So, part of that medal is yours too.

Thank you for being such a competent, personable, supportive and warm professional. You helped me confront the horrible fears of losing my voice and ways to bring back quality and strength.

Gerriann Jackson showed so much compassion. She went beyond her duty. She made me feel special and that I made a difference in the world. I am going thru so many medical problems and Gerriann really made a difference in my life.

Elizabeth took my very masculine-sounding voice and completely changed how I communicate with the rest of the world. She gave me so much hope, and confidence along the way. She also provided me with easy voice lessons to do on my own, and tools that I'd have never known about passing as female. I feel so much more like myself.

I’m now in control of my voice and have the tools to train myself. Gerriann is available for followup if needed. I have a new confidence in my speech capabilities. It was a very positive experience.