[Conservative treatment and rehabilitation in peripheral facial palsy]

Abstract

Facial paralysis may be treated by physical therapies with different therapeutic strategies and devices. Exercise therapy, electrotherapy, massage, lymph-drainage, biofeedback therapy are applied. Therapeutic strategies are based on the course of disease. It may be assumed that paralysis in moderate and moderate to severe courses of disease in acute lesions, moreover in chronic partial lesions and after gracilis muscle transplantation will benefit best from physical therapies. Course of disease depends on the degree of lesion, low-grade lesion will improve earlier and prognosis of motor recovery is good. To predict the course of disease in idiopathic facial paralysis nerve conduction studies can render valuable information by measuring the amplitude of the motor evoked potential in side to side comparison. In regard to scientific studies there is limited evidence that exercise therapy and biofeedback therapy improve the course of disease, motor performance recovers earlier and motor synkinesis are decreased. There is no evidence for electrotherapy to improve the course of disease nor to have any adverse effects. There is no relevant literature for massage and lymph-drainage in regard to facial paralysis. Every patient with facial paralysis--regardless to the degree of lesion--should receive a brochure with mimic exercises and instructions to support facial symmetry as basic intervention.