Perhaps, you have seen people with Parkinson or you may only know and be familiar with this disease but you have not seen yet the people who suffer from this disease and some of you may also already have known about the facial masking Parkinson’s which is mentioned as one of the symptoms of the disease.
Parkinson’s itself is considered as the disease that makes people almost expressionless because their facial muscles are too stiff so their expressions cannot be mobilized or set as they want and therefore, the patients will be left with blank expressions. Well, if you have not been familiar yet with this kind of disease, then we can discuss it deeper here then.
That the patients with Parkinson’s are often failed to be asked by some experts about their feelings because the depression, apathy, hostility, and deception are hidden by facial masking Parkinson’s has been noted by the Tickle-Degnen. Moreover, maintaining balance, difficulty moving, limb stiffness and tremors are included in the other Parkinson’s symptoms and if the vocal challenges of Parkinson’s to the mix are also added then it means that the obstacles are increased when the effective communication wants to be created with the outside world. That they are happy and the life can be enjoyed well as said by some Parkinson’s patients may impossibly be believed, right?
It cannot be believed because whether people can enjoy life or not will usually be seen or identified through the expressions they have made while the facial masking Parkinson’s make them cannot express their emotions.
However, what they are feeling can possibly be found out if the experts and researches can focus on the reliable cues the ones that cannot be changed even with the facial paralysis and the series of observations are done by them. From the voice, body movement to facial behavior is tried to be analyzed by them and it is what they usually call as particular cues.
Perhaps, the patients’ expressions are covered by the facial masking Parkinson’s, but the body movement can reveal their feeling, mood, and even personality. For example like the large motions will be used by them who are extroverted and very sociable with their hands and the motion is focused on by the researchers here. While the fewer motions or body movement give the sign that the patient identified here is the introvert type person because the quiet expression will be seen from their faces and their bodies as well.
Moreover, an approachable persona will not be able to be projected by the person suffering from Parkinson’s disease. A stare-like feature will also be able to be created by the loss of some of the control of the face and head muscles and this is what has usually been called the facial mask of Parkinson’s which can be the biggest challenge to identify the patient’s feelings and expressions. The facial exercises will be included in the randomized control trial and medications so the patient’s facial expressivity can be helped to be retained to some extent.
In addition, the patients’ faces will usually be hidden from the reality existing in a warm and tender heart that may be in disguise by the facial masking Parkinson’s. The best medications are still tried to be found out by the researches and experts so the patients can be helped. Hopefully, the limited information shared here can add your knowledge a bit about the disease.