Biofeedback training seemed to offer a possible solution. Electrodes were taped to the injured side of her face. The electrical activity of muscles in the damaged area was displayed on a screen, along with the pattern that would be produced by undamaged facial nerves and muscles. The woman's task was to watch the two patterns and somehow learn by inner experiment how to control the left side of her face so its movements would match the normal pattern and would then coordinate with movements of the other side.
Her training lasted for several months. Because of her persistence and hard work, she was successful in learning to match the "normal" pattern; she was now able to move the two sides of her face in symmetrical harmony.
Other successful physical applications of biofeedback therapy include these:
* controlling high blood pressure
* learning to raise blood pressure in cases of spinal injuries that block the automatic raising of blood pressure when a person stands up (excessively low pressure causes them to faint)
* coping more effectively with asthma attacks
* eliminating migraine headaches
* helping children with cerebral palsy control muscle spasms
* helping stroke victims with proprioception problems (in which they lose the sense of where their arms and legs are in space)
* teaching patients with circulation problems (e.g., blood clots in the legs) to dilate their blood vessels, regaining movement and reducing pain