Is the mask face a sign of Parkinson's disease?

Patients with Parkinson's disease often have tight facial muscles, dull facial expressions, reduced eye movement and reduced blinking, as if they are wearing a mask, which is called "mask face."

In fact, this expression does not reflect abnormal emotions, but is caused by reduced activity of the patient's facial expression muscles. People express various emotions such as joy, anger, sadness, and joy by controlling the movements of facial muscles. Facial expression muscles mainly include cranial parietal muscle, frontalis muscle, orbicularis oculi muscle, zygomatic major muscle, laughing muscle, orbicularis oris muscle, etc. They originate from different parts of the skull, end at the skin, and are distributed in the clefts of the mouth, eye clefts and Around the nostrils, the skin contracts under the control of nerves to express various expressions. When patients with Parkinson's disease experience bradykinesia, voluntary movements are reduced, and movements are slow and clumsy. When the face is involved, the muscles are stiff and the range of movement is significantly reduced. When laughing or making other expressions, reactions are slow, often accompanied by excessively prolonged expressions. The facial muscles are tense, the face is serious even when hearing jokes, and the facial expression is dull, so this special face is called "mask face". When oral medications are used to control the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, patients' facial expressions often improve.

Mask face

The expression is dull. Even if you make an expression intentionally, it looks very stiff, as if you are wearing a mask. It is called "mask face" in medicine.

Basic information

Chinese name

Mask face

Is it an infectious disease?

No

The expression is very stiff, like a mask

Introduction

Resting tremor is a well-known typical symptom of Parkinson’s disease, which manifests as The fingers make movements like rolling balls or counting money, and then slowly develop to the limbs. In addition, there are some subtle changes that require special attention, such as the pace suddenly becomes shorter, you can only walk in small steps, your movements become sluggish, and it is even difficult to turn around. In addition, the patient's muscles will appear very stiff, and some patients will first show up in the facial muscles. The patient rarely blinks, his eyes move less, and his expression is dull. Even if he makes an expression intentionally, he will appear very stiff, as if he is wearing a mask. It looks like a mask, which is medically called "mask face".

High-risk groups

People over 60 years old are the high-risk group for Parkinson's disease, but in recent years, the disease has become younger and younger. "People with a family history of hereditary disease need to pay special attention. Once some of the above symptoms appear, they should rush to the hospital for examination." If you actively receive treatment after the onset of the disease, you can live and work normally within 5 to 10 years. This key treatment period is also known as the “honeymoon period” of Parkinson’s disease. Patients with Parkinson's disease must not engage in highly dangerous jobs such as working at heights or driving, and it is best to be accompanied when crossing the road.

"Mask face" is a typical symptom of Parkinson's disease. The general treatment methods for "mask face" are:

1. Frowning action: Frown as much as possible, then spread the eyebrows vigorously, repeat several times . Open and close your eyes forcefully.

2. Cheek puffing exercise: First puff up your cheeks with force, and then inhale your cheeks as much as possible.

3. To show your teeth and whistle, try to expose your teeth and then make a whistle.

4. Look in the mirror and make your face smile, laugh, grin, pout, whistle, puff your cheeks, etc.

Increased muscle tone can appear in the muscles of the limbs, neck and face. Facial muscle movements are reduced, blinking is rare, eye movements are reduced, and the expression is sluggish, as if wearing a mask, commonly known as "mask face" .

Rehabilitation methods

Relaxation and breathing exercises:

Find a quiet place, dim the lights, and lie on your back as comfortably as possible. Close your eyes and start breathing deeply and slowly. When you inhale, swell your abdomen and imagine that the air reaches the top of your head. When you exhale, relax your abdomen and imagine that the air flows down from the top of your head, through your back to the soles of your feet, and imagine that your muscles relax.

Practice this way repeatedly for 5-15 minutes.

You can also take a seat, lean back on the chair, relax your whole body, put your hands on your chest and take a deep breath.

Facial movement exercises:

The special face of patients with Parkinson's disease is the "mask face", which is due to stiff facial muscles, resulting in dull facial expressions, so doing some facial movement exercises is the best way to do this. Necessary. Frowning action: Frown your eyebrows as much as possible, then stretch your eyebrows vigorously, repeat several times. Open and close your eyes forcefully. Cheek puffing exercise: First puff up your cheeks with force, and then inhale your cheeks as much as possible.

To show your teeth and whistle, try to expose your teeth and then make a whistle.

Look in the mirror and let your face express itself