Condition: Bells’s Palsy
The left side of my face developed a significant droop and numbness. Was this a stroke? The Emergency room doctor told me I had a classic case of Bell’s palsy. I was told my face probably would recover full expression and function in six weeks to six months. After about a week, Beverley assessed that the facial nerves and muscles were ready for therapy and she put me to work with strengthening exercises. During each appointment, one each week for four weeks, she would massage and tap the affected areas ever so gently to encourage healing and circulation and given me additional exercises appropriate for the next stage of healing. After just one week people began to comment on noticeable improvements. After three weeks, most of the droop in my face was gone, creases in my forehead almost matched my right side, my eye almost closed fully on its own and my smile was almost back. The ophthalmologist said my eye looked GREAT and to keep doing whatever I was doing but I had to have a follow up in a month. At four weeks I could do twenty eight of the thirty facial exercises. Thank you Beverley for your care, expertise and push during this partnership to heal and rehab my face!
Renee Vigoroso,