Lip palsy

[ben from UK]

I'm two weeks out of surgery to fix my detached masseter muscle. The aesthethical outcome is great. I'm very satisfied at this point (although you never know after the whole swelling is gone, maybe it'll get worse over time - I learned to not judge too fast cause there could be dopamine outburst after surgery making you see everything as great). Only problem is I have lower lip palsy at the right side. I'm scared this won't recover. It's really annoying when eating and speaking, and I read it causes lip asymmetry over time. I don't blame the surgeon for this, the muscle was probably stretched and maybe something happened with the nerve, I don't know. I have sensation in my lips, just the right corner of the lower lip doesn't move. Is there anything to do about this or is it just waiting? It seems like such a small part but it's affecting my speech and symmetry when smiling. 

[ben from UK]

Well at least there seems to be a simple procedure for this?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/12369074/

I hope I don't need it. When I see people with lip palsy it just doesn'lt look good due to asymmetry and thinning part of the lip (probably due to muscle atrophy or something).

[ODog]

This sounds like a girl on here who had a similar issue post-op JS and is still dealing with it 2.5 years later. I’m dealing with lower lip stiffness when speaking as well but it’s not asymmetrical or drooping on one side, which brings to mind motor nerve damage, as seen in Bells Palsy patients who have the drooping to one side. She said the same thing as you, that one side of her lip didn’t move properly immediately after surgery. Which worries me. Hopefully you’re not dealing with the same. Give it time. Numbness/ swelling in general can cause asymmetry of lips when moving them/ smiling, but it should be temporary.

 

[ben from UK]

This sounds like a girl on here who had a similar issue post-op JS and is still dealing with it 2.5 years later. I’m dealing with lower lip stiffness when speaking as well but it’s not asymmetrical or drooping on one side, which brings to mind motor nerve damage, as seen in Bells Palsy patients who have the drooping to one side. She said the same thing as you, that one side of her lip didn’t move properly immediately after surgery. Which worries me. Hopefully you’re not dealing with the same. Give it time. Numbness/ swelling in general can cause asymmetry of lips when moving them/ smiling, but it should be temporary.

Thanks. There seems to be somekind of improvement these past two days, which is a good sign, but I'm not 100 percent sure. My speech seems to be a bit better. From what I read, the lip palsy is not a nerveproblem but a muscle problem (?).

[ODog]

Thanks. There seems to be somekind of improvement these past two days, which is a good sign, but I'm not 100 percent sure. My speech seems to be a bit better. From what I read, the lip palsy is not a nerveproblem but a muscle problem (?).

I’m not sure. You should hope it’s a muscular problem but not a motor nerve problem.

Severe numbness can often seem like a motor nerve problem. At least it did for me. I couldn’t elevate my upper lip enough to show my full smile for probably 2 months after surgery. This makes it seem like you have a movement problem, but it’s just lack of muscular control that is temporary and not a motor nerve problem.

Motor nerve damage is basically supposed to be impossible with jaw surgery (I think?). Yet that girl is dealing with dropping on one side, and crookedness in the bottom lip when she speaks. So that sounds like a motor nerve problem to me. Also she has regained feeling on that side, so it can’t  be cussed by numbness. So must be motor ?

[ODog]

Ben, do You still have the jaw implants?

[ghiggson90]

It's likely that the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve has been injured.

Recovery can take many months, but it does not always recover.

Botox injection in the depressor muscles has shown to be an effective though temporary treatment.

Best thing to do is wait.

[ben from UK]

It's likely that the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve has been injured.

Recovery can take many months, but it does not always recover.

Botox injection in the depressor muscles has shown to be an effective though temporary treatment.

Best thing to do is wait.

There seems to be a minor minor improvement. Is that a good sign?

Odog: yes I do.

[korvitz]

Check your Vitamin B12 levels

[ben from UK]

Check your Vitamin B12 levels

Why?

I'm taking vitamin b and c at the moment.

[ODog]

Why?

I'm taking vitamin b and c at the moment.

B12 is implicated in nerve recovery. I will message you more options.