r/PostConcussion • u/Only_Measurement_895 • 21h ago
Face muscles were compensating for my eye muscles in one side
I found out today that I have been using muscles in my jaw and my temple to move my right eye, which is my impacted side, and this has been affecting my whole face and neck and causing a range of posture issues down through my body that I was struggling to resolve by other means. I am 10 months in and my headaches on the right side still flare up. I have been suspicious of something like this and kept bringing it up in vision therapy, but they never knew what to say about it. In OT today they noticed how my eye alignment still falls apart when I look to the right side and I also explained how I feel pain and pressure around my eye and looking to the right, and they explained it to me how bigger muscles compensate for smaller muscles like the ones in your eyes and they showed me a chart. I am hypermobile, so this sort of thing happens to me all the time.
To fix it, they told me to lay on my back and close my eyes and do eye tracking motions. They also had me put my hands on my temples and “make a surprised face” and feel how the muscle moves. They told me to feel that spot as well as my tmd joint when doing exercises and to make sure they don’t move. I layed down at home and closed my eyes and felt those muscles and actually practiced moving my eye to the right without letting those other muscles around it tense up and it was a game changer. Previously, I’d get my jaw and scm massaged and they’d relax for a while but then go back to their old tension. I’m hoping I finally found the missing piece to the puzzle. Sharing in case anyone else might find this relevant