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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Atlas Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2011 Mar;19(1):109–118. doi: 10.1016/j.cxom.2010.11.006

Table 1.

General Concepts of Sensory Re-training

Two Phases:
 Early Phase: Constant vs Moving Touch
 Late Phase: Directionality
Frequency: 3 or 4 times a day for a couple of minutes
General Strategies:
 Quiet surroundings. Concentration is important.
 Use stimulus (cloth, cosmetic brush, cotton swab) not finger. Using a finger would create two sets of sensory information for the patient which would confuse the all ready distorted sensory picture.
Components of Re-training

  1. Observation of touch/movement. For the face, it’s critical to use visual feedback via a mirror.

  2. Concentration on perception of touch/movement with eyes closed in order to combine the mental with the visual picture.

  3. Repeat observation for visual confirmation of touch/movement

  4. Verbalize the touch/movement being performed and what it feels like

  5. Incorporate unaffected areas using the same procedure so that the sensation on the two sides may be compared.