Keywords
Facial Nerve
Facial Paralysis
Muscular Hypotonia
Rehabilitation Exercise
How to Cite
Abstract
The facial nerve, or cranial nerve VII, is crucial for the control of facial muscles and sensory and autonomic functions, such as gustation and the regulation of the lacrimal and salivary glands. Lesions to this nerve can result in Bell's Palsy, characterized by sudden weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles, usually unilateral, significantly impacting quality of life. In view of the physical and psychological impacts of Bell's Palsy, this study aims to assess the importance of muscle re-education for early rehabilitation and minimization of sequelae in patients affected by the paralysis. In order to carry out this study, original articles and bibliographic reviews published in the last 28 years in English and Portuguese were collected from the main theoretical databases, such as SciELO and PubMed. The articles collected showed that the therapeutic approach in Bell's Palsy should be multimodal, encompassing pharmacological and behavioral therapies and physiotherapeutic support for the recovery of facial mimicry. In this scenario, muscle re-education is an essential therapeutic approach, combining facial exercises, biofeedback techniques and electrotherapy to restore muscle function and minimize sequelae. Early and personalized intervention, accompanied by a multidisciplinary team, is vital for optimal recovery, reducing physical and emotional complications such as social isolation and depression. Thus, early rehabilitation provides faster recovery of facial mobility, and muscle re-education plays an indispensable role in restoring muscle function and minimizing the sequelae resulting from the disease, which minimizes damage and restores quality of life to patients
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