(No.7) To You in Week Four of RHS | When Facial Paralysis Strikes in the U.S.: [Practical Guide — Save This One] Everything I Gathered to Protect My Recovery: Eyes, Ears, Sleep, Facial Nerve, Nutrition, Knowledge

*For medical diagnoses, treatment decisions, and supplement use, always consult your physician or pharmacist. What's written here is one patient's lived experience — through Rita's eyes.

*I've included links to make things easier to find, but none of the product links contain ads or affiliate income.

A protective cover that gently shields the eye from dryness and friction.
I received mine at my ophthalmologist's office, and it helped me enormously.
It keeps the humidity in, easing the discomfort, pain, and dryness
of an eye that won't close.

An eye patch with a raised, three-dimensional structure that covers the eye
without touching the lashes or eyelid.
The adjustable sizing was a big help, too.
At home, the clear moisture chamber;
when I wanted to dress up a little, this leopard-print patch —
both served my unclosing right eye well.

Not just at bedtime — in the early days, when my right eye wouldn't close at all,
I kept it closed and protected with these patches all day long.
They adhere snugly and don't peel off easily;
after trying many options, these are the ones I finally settled on.
Being disposable, they're reassuring hygiene-wise as well.

Protects the eyes from both light and dryness at bedtime.
I chose a 3D type that doesn't touch the eyes directly.
Even after recovering from RHS —
on flights, for afternoon naps, on nights I want to sleep deeply —
it's a comfort I can no longer do without.

A favorite item that gently warms the area around the eyes.
Used before sleep or at naptime, it alone softened something in me — deeply soothing.
During RHS recovery, these things that are "simply pleasant"
or that "make things a little easier"
supported my heart far more than I ever expected.

The workhorse of the daytime. Artificial tears made with carboxymethylcellulose, a lubricating ingredient.
"PF" means Preservative-Free.
When drops are used frequently, preservatives can irritate and burden the eye,
so I was prescribed the single-use unit-dose (UD) vials.

The nighttime fortress of moisture, applied before bed.
It stays on the cornea far longer than drops,
protecting the eye from dryness all through the night,
while the eyelid can't fully close.

This one isn't for moisture — it's an antibiotic ointment for infection prevention.
An eye that can't close is defenseless not only against dryness but against bacteria.
It was prescribed to protect the cornea from infection.
*With antibiotics, always follow your doctor's instructions on duration and frequency.

Until I received prescription ①, these were my daytime staple.
Individually packaged artificial tears — hygienic and easy to carry.
And preservative-free, of course.

Until I received prescription ①, I never skipped these before bed.
A thick, gel-type drop.
During the period when my eye barely closed and the dryness was severe,
this was my non-negotiable bedtime routine.
Preservative-free, single-use vials — reassuring hygiene-wise as well.

One caution: your vision blurs right after application,
so avoid using it before driving. I treated it strictly as a bedtime drop.

*Which product suits you depends on the condition of your eyes.
Please consult your ophthalmologist and find what works for you.

I tried paper tape and silicone tape for holding the eyelid;
they're gentle on the skin, but they kept peeling off during the night.

3M Transpore, on the other hand, holds firmly and stayed put while I slept.
For me — someone who prioritized the security of knowing
my eye would stay protected until morning —
this was the tape that served me best.

One symptom of RHS is sound sensitivity — hyperacusis.
There was a period when my right ear became so sensitive
that small, everyday sounds felt as if they were booming.

These earplugs block sound reliably
and did a great job of protecting my right ear.

I tried attaching them to the protective glasses introduced above,
but in my case, the two didn't fit together well.
Even so, as standalone earplugs, they were plenty dependable.

Let me introduce a slightly retro companion for my facial massage.

A red handle, a golden signature.
A germanium beauty roller bearing the name of Noriko Awaya —
the queen of Shōwa-era blues.

I bought it before moving to America in 1990, back when I was still in Japan.
It's that roller — the one that swept the nation
through Awaya-san's TV commercials.
Those who know will know exactly which one I mean.
(Doesn't that date me!)

This little one crossed the Pacific with me,
and for nearly forty years it quietly kept me company from inside a drawer.

Who could have imagined that some 40 years later,
its moment would come again — for my paralyzed face!

Rita's Warming Roll: RHS Facial Care Routine, Part One

First, warm the germanium head of the roller in hot water.
When it reaches a temperature that feels "just right" against your cheek,
gently roll it over the paralyzed right half of the face — about three minutes.
That's all.

The pleasant warmth reaching a cheek that cannot move — pure bliss.

As it turns out, when I looked into it,
there's no confirmed scientific evidence
for germanium's beauty or health benefits.
And yet, as I recall, the claims back then were bold —
"I look younger," "my spots vanished," "my wrinkles are gone."

[Important Note]
*Massage during facial-palsy recovery requires care in both pressure and technique.
Don't improvise with force; always consult your doctor or physical therapist first,
and stay within the range of "gentle and comfortable."

There's a lovely origin story behind this roller.

Its creator was a woman named Sanae Inazumi.
Her esthetic salon had failed, she was ten million yen in debt,
and she was on the verge of being evicted from her building.

At rock bottom, she encountered germanium powder — and had a flash of insight.
What if she molded it into a cylinder that could roll over the face?
And as she wondered what to use for a handle, a second flash:
"A fountain pen might be just the thing."

The roller born that way was introduced on television by Noriko Awaya —
"This one's wonderful!" — and from that moment, the phones wouldn't stop ringing.
It went on to become a mega-hit, eventually selling ten billion yen.

A tool born at rock bottom,
warming my face inside the tunnel, forty years later.
What a mysterious thread of connection.

The second item in my routine:
Panasonic's scalp massager (the sebum-cleansing type, EH-HM94).
A 2012 model — a fourteen-year veteran in our house.
(Now discontinued.)

Massaging a paralyzed face too strongly
raises the risk of an aftereffect called synkinesis —
unintended facial movements that occur together.
So instead, I gently massaged the scalp,
lifting the skin upward from above the ears toward the crown.

The scalp and the face are connected by one continuous sheet of skin —
RHS reminded me of that all over again.

[Important Note]
*Massage during facial-palsy recovery requires care in both pressure and technique.
Don't improvise with force; always consult your doctor or physical therapist first,
and stay within the range of "gentle and comfortable."

Third: a red light therapy device.
Purchased in November 2012 — another fourteen-year veteran,
forgotten until RHS brought it back into the spotlight.

Slowly moving the light across the paralyzed side
feels warm and wonderfully soothing.

Whenever I used this device, before every session,
I covered my right eye with a disposable eye patch (Curad Eye Patch),
then put on the eye mask that came with the device to protect my eyes.

An eyelid that can't fully close is defenseless against light, too.
If you ever try light therapy,
never — ever — skip the eye protection.

Also, research on red light therapy's effect on facial nerve palsy is still ongoing.
Always check with your doctor before use.

With a soft-bristled face brush,
I brushed my whole face gently, as if stroking it.
The fluffy tips — like a makeup brush — felt pleasant even on sensitized skin,
quietly soothing and settling it.
Very relaxing.

I worked these tools into my own daily "form."
The full sequence — the complete Rita Routine,
along with earlobe massage and the inside-the-mouth tongue massage —
will be introduced in detail in a later article.

None of the items below treat RHS.
In my case, they were taken on top of medical treatment —
antivirals, steroids, eye protection —
purely as "groundwork" to support my body
through the nerve-recovery period.

EPA/DHA are fatty acids involved in cell membranes and inflammatory response.
Purpose: steadying a body prone to tipping toward inflammation.
I took 2 softgels with lunch.

B12 is a nutrient deeply involved in nerve function.
I took it to make sure I wasn't running short
on nutrients related to the nerves.
1,000 mcg — 1 capsule in the morning.

A vitamin B1 derivative. A nutrient supporting energy metabolism in the peripheral nerves,
used as "foundation support" during nerve recovery.
150 mg — 1 capsule with lunch.

Vitamin D is involved in immunity, inflammation regulation, and neuromuscular function.
Even in sunny Las Vegas, deficiency is possible —
groundwork with blood levels in mind.
5,000 IU — 1 capsule with lunch.

A mineral involved in immune function and tissue repair.
Short-term immune and repair support during post-viral recovery.

15 mg — 1 capsule with lunch.

The Ultimate Omega from "Nerve Foundation Support"
makes a proud second appearance here,
in "Immune & Inflammation Balance Support."
EPA/DHA are fatty acids involved in cell membranes and inflammatory response.
Purpose: steadying a body prone to tipping toward inflammation.
I took 2 softgels with lunch.

For muscle tightness, nerve sensitivity, and sleep quality.
For the post-RHS tension, twitching, and difficulty sleeping.
120 mg — once or twice, between evening and bedtime.

A "relaxation supplement" to settle the nervous system in the evening.
Restorative sleep is a vital foundation of nerve recovery.
One serving, between evening and night.

GABA products target stress, tension, and falling asleep.
The research is limited, though — so strictly as
"a little help for nights when the nerves run high."
100 mg — 1 capsule, midday to evening, or before bed.

Taken as a supplement of electrolytes and micronutrients.
It tastes quite good, too.
Hydration and nutrition support for days when appetite dropped
or the fatigue of recovery ran deep.
And the time itself — slowly sipping something warm —
became a small ritual of telling myself,
"You did well again today."
One serving, any time of day.

Taken as a supplement of electrolytes and micronutrients.
Hydration and nutrition support for days when appetite dropped
or the fatigue of recovery ran deep.
One serving, any time of day.

Goji berries — floated in tea, or nibbled as they are.
A small nourishment borrowed from the wisdom of medicinal cuisine.
I took a small amount as an antioxidant-rich food:
less for any medicinal effect
than as "edible self-care" for the recovery period.
10–15 g, with meals or as a snack.

A book about recovery from facial paralysis, written from the patient's perspective.
Inside a tunnel with no visible end,
simply knowing that others had walked this road ahead of me
was itself a support.
The database of recovery rates and possible aftereffects
was a little frightening to look at — and yet enormously valuable.
Some of the information is dated, but I found it a wonderful reference.

Supplements can interact with prescription medications,
and certain health conditions call for extra caution.
Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking them.