The facial palsy service can help to balance the face, restore the smile and improve eye closure and speech.
Facial palsy can occur at any age. It has a wide variety of causes, including Bell’s palsy, trauma, infections, tumours, and neurological conditions. It can also be congenital (present at birth).
Facial palsy can have devastating functional and psychological consequences, both to the patient and to their families.
Treatment for facial palsy
Surgical and non-surgical treatment of facial palsy can help to balance the face, restore the smile, and improve eye closure and speech.
All of our reconstructive work involves state of the art surgical techniques, and our facial palsy surgery is particularly specialised. We are the only unit in the North East of England, and one of only a handful in the UK, that offers specialist treatment for this condition.
Staff you are likely to meet
Our surgeons are integral members of the facial palsy team. We work closely with ENT surgeons, ophthalmologists, neurosurgeons, neurologists, neurophysiologists, psychologists, and physiotherapists.
Our facial palsy service not only cares for people from across the North East and Cumbria, but also receives referrals from elsewhere in the UK and abroad.
How can I be referred into the service?
Your GP or another healthcare professional, such as a doctor, can refer you into the service.
Further support
We also run twice-yearly Facial Support Group meetings. This is a relaxed and friendly environment for patients and family members to informally discuss both their personal issues and their experiences of our facial palsy service. It also serves as a focus group to allow us to continually improve and develop our service.
Details of future meetings and other helpful information can be found at the Facial Palsy UK
