Facial Nerve Center
Part of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
Leaders in Treating Facial Paralysis
The Stanford Facial Nerve Center provides comprehensive, compassionate care for all facial paralysis conditions and facial nerve disorders. Our center’s experts in facial reanimation, neurology, ophthalmology, speech therapy, and other specialties collaborate closely to tailor a care and rehabilitation plan for your specific needs.
801 Welch Road
Palo Alto,
CA
94304
Phone: 650-736-FACE
What We Offer You for Facial Nerve Care
- Specialized expertise in restoring both form and function to individuals with facial paralysis. Go to Conditions Treated
- Advanced treatment strategies, including facial reanimation, rehabilitation and speech treatments, counseling and behavioral care, and eye care and surgery. Go to Treatments
- Team-based care that brings together facial plastic surgeons, neurologists, ophthalmologists, rehabilitation specialists, and others. Go to Your Care Team
- Complete support services to help you focus on your total health and wellness. Go to Support Services
- Easy access to a broad range of facial nerve specialties and support services at one convenient location. Go to Accessing Care
Our team has extensive experience in diagnosising, treating, and monitoring all facial nerve conditions, including:
- Bell’s palsy, which causes temporary weakness of one side of the face
- Chronic (long-lasting) facial paralysis
- Ramsay Hunt syndrome, when an outbreak of shingles causes facial paralysis
- Facial symptoms of acoustic neuroma
- Facial neuroma (a tumor on the facial nerve)
- Synkinesis, unintended movement of one part of the face when attempting to move another (such as your eyes closing when you smile)
- Hemifacial spasm, with contractions on one side of your face
Our specialists collaborate closely to develop precisely the right care plan for you. Every member of our team is devoted to offering you the most effective care based on the latest scientific evidence–in many cases, using today’s leading diagnostic and treatment approaches.
Nerve to Masseter Transfer
Dual Nerve Transfer
INNOVATION HIGHLIGHTS
Multi-specialty coordinated care: All specialists work together at the Stanford Facial Nerve Center. Having otolaryngologists (ear, nose, throat, head and neck specialists), facial plastic surgeons, neurologists (nerve specialists), ophthalmologists (eye specialists), and other doctors – plus specially trained nurses and rehabilitation specialists – working side by side enables us to make sure you get complete care for any facial nerve disorder.
Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
Every month, our multidisciplinary team holds a Facial Nerve Conference. We invite doctors from throughout the area to submit their cases for our evaluation, recommendations for treatment, and, if needed, further diagnostic testing.
Testing may include blood tests as well as minimally invasive neurodiagnostic tools such as electroneuronography (ENoG) and electromyography (EMG), which use electrical stimulation to test nerve function.
When a facial nerve condition is diagnosed, the questions become when to seek treatment and which treatment is likely to be most effective. Every case is different, so we customize the diagnostic and treatment roadmap to each individual.
Our goals are to improve the form or shape of the face as well as functions such as speaking and drinking liquids. In addition, some treatments may improve a person’s ability to smile.
Treatment offered at our center include the following and many more options:
- Nerve transfer surgery, where a nerve from another part of the face or body is connected to a facial nerve to restore movement
- Muscle transfer surgery, connecting a muscle from another part of the body to facial muscles
- Tendon transfer surgery, involving connection of tendon and bone from the side of the face to the corner of the mouth, designed to improve speaking, eating, and smiling
- Eyelid weights to help lids close more effectively
- Fat grafting, with fat from the stomach or thighs injected into the face
- Static sling surgery, to help improve the symmetry of your mouth
- Injectable drugs (such as Botox® botulinum toxin)
- Injectable “fillers” to help improve speech and your ability to close your lips
- Face lift and brow lift procedures
In addition to physical effects, facial paralysis can have emotional and psychological effects. The connection between our faces and our identities, our jobs, and our everyday life makes this disorder one of the most challenging as well as one of the most personal to manage. Access to a behavioral health professional is a critical component of the care we offer at the Facial Nerve Center.
A critical issue for people with facial paralysis is the health of their eye on the paralyzed side of their face. All people with facial paralysis should have an examination by an ophthalmologist to determine the health of their cornea (the transparent outer layer of the eye). In addition, some people who are unable to fully close their eyes may experience dryness or irritation. To treat these and other eye-related conditions, our team includes ophthalmologists with extensive experience specifically with facial nerve cases.
Clinical Trials
Our specialists deepen the understanding of facial nerve care through research and clinical trials. These studies evaluate new medical procedures and technologies to treat facial nerve conditions. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you have access to these exciting new approaches.
Open trials refer to studies currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
Your Care Team
At the state-of-the-art Facial Nerve Center, you have access to a team of specialists, so we can offer you complete care for any facial paralysis condition. We also hold regular case reviews where doctors in the community present their most challenging cases to our team for evaluation. Our team members include:
Your Doctors
Facial Nerve Specialist
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons specialize in surgical procedures to restore facial form and function.
View Facial Nerve Specialists »Otologists
Otologists specialize in diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the ear.
View Otologists »Neurologist
Neurologists specialize in diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the nervous system.
View General Neurologists »Ophthalmologic Surgeon
Ophthalmologic and Oculoplastic surgeons specialize in diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the eyes.
Stanford is an Academic Medical Center, which is a type of hospital setting where doctors teach the entire spectrum of medical education. Students range from beginning medical students to fully licensed and practicing doctors completing advanced sub-specialty training. Stanford Medicine is a partnership between Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford Health Care. Since Stanford is a teaching hospital, you can expect to meet many providers and providers in training.
- Attending Physician: a doctor who supervises doctors in training or in medical school
- Fellow: a doctor doing postgraduate level work and specializing in care of patients with specific conditions
- Resident: a doctor who has graduated from medical school and is in training (also called “residency”) here at Stanford. A resident is also called an intern
- Medical Student: a student who is currently enrolled in medical school with the goal of becoming a doctor
Extended Care Team
Rehabilitation and speech therapists focus on helping you improve the function of the nerves and muscles in your face.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS
Nurses provide one-on-one support throughout your care journey. They help you navigate from your first contact with us to follow-up care, assessing your needs, answering your questions, making referrals, coordinating appointments, and providing education.
Care coordinators provide you with information and assistance prior to and during your appointment.
- New Patient Coordinator–Our coordinators contact you before your first appointment and help you prepare by providing the information you need to know and bring with you.
- Medical Assistant–Medical assistants bring you to your exam room after you check in for your appointments. They take your vital signs before your doctor sees you.
- Patient Access Representative–Our patient access representatives greet you at the front desk and register you for your appointments.
If you qualify for an open clinical trial, our research coordinators guide you through the process. They educate you about what to expect during the study, answer your questions, and schedule your appointments.
Support Services
We take care of the details, so you can focus on your health and wellness. Our facial paralysis specialists work as a team to coordinate every aspect of your care. We also offer a wide range of support services to promote healing and improve your quality of life:
In addition to the best care for your unique needs, the Facial Nerve Center offers you convenience and easy access.
Frequently Asked Questions
We participate in a wide range of insurance plans. View the list of insurance plans accepted by Stanford Health Care »
Have insurance or pre-authorization questions? The Patient Financial Clearance team is available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., to answer your questions. Please call 650-724-4445 or 1-877-291-7335
When choosing a doctor, it’s important to consider the doctor’s clinical training, experience, and expertise in a specialized area that matches your health care needs.
You can find the right Stanford doctor for you by using our doctor directory and filtering the results based on a medical category, specialty, or doctor’s last name. View a list of our facial nerve specialists
Support services financial counseling, interpreter and translation services, and more.
You can call the center directly at 650-736-3223.
Yes, Stanford Health Care offers financial assistance for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. Meet with one of our financial counselors to find the best approach to paying for your health care. Financial counselors are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Learn more about financial assistance services »
Managing facial paralysis is a personalized process. Our team guides you every step of the way. To help you prepare for your first appointment:
- Review maps, directions, parking, public transit options, and contact information for the Facial Nerve Center.
- Note any questions you wish to ask your care team.
For your first appointment, you should plan to bring any related test results and your medical history to share with your doctor. Our team will confirm the information you should bring with you before your first appointment.
You will also need to have the following information with you when you check in:
- Insurance card
- A form of payment for any co-pays or deductibles
- One of the following forms of photo ID:
- Valid state-issued driver’s license
- Valid state-issued ID card
- Valid passport
- Valid U.S. Military ID card
- Valid U.S. Permanent Resident Card
Please see Directions and Parking Information. Please allow enough time to make sure you arrive on time for your appointment.
Please print, fill out, and return the Medical Record Release Form to your new patient coordinator. The medical release form is an authorization form for external facilities to release medical records to Stanford Health Care.
Always feel free to bring someone with you to your appointments. A family member or friend can help ask questions, remember the information your care team gives you, and provide support. To help you or your loved one prepare, view our Patient Family Resource Guide.
Yes. However, by California state law, you must let your care team know that you would like to record your conversation to help you remember the discussion later.
Write down your questions before your appointment and rank them in order of importance, beginning with the most important ones. If there isn’t enough time to have all your questions answered during your appointment, ask your doctor who you can speak with to get your other questions answered.
Yes, please visit International Services.
Support resources include financial counseling, interpreter services, and more. The team at the Facial Nerve Center can help you get the resources you need.
If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please call us as soon as possible, at least 24 hours in advance.
Our receptionists at the Facial Nerve Center are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to help you reschedule or cancel your appointment. Please call 650-736-3223.
To determine if a clinical trial is right for you, talk to your doctor. He or she can refer you to a research coordinator for more information on studies that may be right for your specific condition.
You can also find the guidelines for who can participate in a particular clinical trial online. However, it is best to work with your doctor to decide the right care approach for your needs.
You have multiple options when it comes to paying your bill.
- Online:
- You can pay your bill in MyHealth or the MyHealth mobile app, our secure health information tool for patients
- You can also pay as a guest without creating a login.
- By mail:
- Stanford Health Care Hospital Payment Processing P.O. Box 740715, Los Angeles, CA 90074-0715
- By calling a Customer Service Representative at 1-800-549-3720, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
For more information about billing, visit our Billing page.
Patient billing services at Stanford Health Care are provided by the billing office. To inquire about a bill that you received, please contact customer service:
Stanford Hospital Billing
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
1-800-549-3720
Our International Medicine Services team can help you find the right doctor, estimate medical costs, book travel, and get you information about Stanford programs and services.
Please call +1 650-723-8561 or email IMS@stanfordheatlhcare.org to get started.
For Referring Physicians
PHYSICIAN HELPLINE
Phone: 1-866-742-4811
Fax: 650-320-9443
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Stanford Health Care provides comprehensive services to refer and track patients, as well as the latest information and news for physicians and office staff. For help with all referral needs and questions, visit Referring Physicians.
HOW TO REFER
Fax a referral form with supporting documentation to 650-320-9443.
SUBMIT YOUR CASE TO OUR MONTHLY FACIAL NERVE CONFERENCE
To present or submit a case for our review, please contact us at 650-736-FACE.
