Lack of facial expression
Lack of facial expression: Introduction
An absence of expression on the face is medically called "flat affect".
In many cases, the face mirrors the underlying emotions, and the person
has limited emotions or various emotional or psychological disorders.
Also possible are physical disorders of the face that limit the ability
of the face to show emotion.
For example, the partial facial paralysis from Bell's palsy may reduce
a person's ability to smile....more »
» Review Causes of Lack of facial expression:
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Causes of Lack of facial expression:
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Lack of facial expression.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
See full list of 74
causes of Lack of facial expression
» Review Causes of Lack of facial expression:
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Home Diagnostic Testing and Lack of facial expression
Home medical tests possibly related to Lack of facial expression:
Causes of Types of Lack of facial expression:
Review the causes of these more specific types of Lack of facial expression:
See full list of 9
types for Lack of facial expression
Lack of facial expression: Symptom Checker
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Lack of facial expression, as listed in our database.
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Symptom Checker combinations related to Lack of facial expression
Lack of facial expression Treatments
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Videos for Lack of facial expression
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Stories from Users for Lack of facial expression
Real-life user stories relating to Lack of facial expression:
Message Boards for Lack of facial expression
Symptom specific forums:
The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards
relate to Lack of facial expression or relevant symptoms:
Diagnostic tests for Lack of facial expression:
Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Lack of facial expression. Some of these are listed below :
- Physical examination
- Central nervous system examination, including cranial nerves looking for signs of 7th nerve palsy which may be due to brain tumor, brain stroke, brain stem stroke, brain stem tumor, multiple sclerosis, acoustic neuroma, meningioma, chronic meningitis, Bell's palsy, fracture of petrous temporal bone, otitis media, herpes zoster infection, parotid gland tumor, parotid gland sarcoidosis
- Look for signs of Bell's palsy (7th nerve palsy of unknown cause) - e.g. unable to wrinkle forehead or close eye forcefully on affected side, unable to whistle or blow out cheeks.
- Complete examination of the ears, nose and throat looking for rupture of ear drum, ear discharge or evidence of middle ear infection
- more tests...»
See full list of 26
diagnostic tests for Lack of facial expression
Drug interactions causing Lack of facial expression:
When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react
causing Lack of facial expression as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
See full list of 1
drug interactions causing Lack of facial expression
Lack of facial expression: Comorbid Symptoms
Some of the comorbid or associated medical symptoms
for Lack of facial expression may include these symptoms:
All associated co-morbid symptoms for Lack of facial expression
Causes of General Symptom Types
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
Research the causes of related medical symptoms such as:
Causes of Similar Symptoms to Lack of facial expression
Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Lack of facial expression:
Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Lack of facial expression.
Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing
your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information
you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- How long have you had a lack of facial expression?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
- Was it a sudden or gradual onset?
Why: e.g. if sudden onset must consider facial paralysis (due to Bell's palsy, diabetic neuropathy and stroke). If gradual onset must consider facial paralysis (due to acoustic neuroma, advancing petrositis, brain tumor or brain abscess).
- Does the lack of facial expression spare the forehead muscles?
Why: e.g. if still able to furrow the brow and wrinkle the forehead, the cause of the lack of facial expression is most likely due to facial paralysis from a brain stroke or brain tumor.
- Is it unilateral or bilateral?
Why: e.g. if both sides of the face are affected, this may suggest facial paralysis ( due to Guillain-Barre syndrome, bilateral parotid disease, primary muscle disease such as Dystrophia myotonica, motor neurone disease and myasthenia gravis).
- How would you explain your mood lately?
Why: may provide information concerning the possibility of depression as a cause of flat affect.
- more questions...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Lack of facial expression (21
listings)
Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition.
The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Lack of facial expression) may include:
- Paralysis or weakness of one side of the body?
Why: If paralysis or weakness was of sudden onset consider stroke, extradural or subdural hematoma (blood clot). If weakness of body is on the opposite side to the facial paralysis consider brain stem thrombosis (clot) or hemorrhage (bleed). If the weakness of one side of the body is gradual in onset consider a brain tumor, brain abscess or brain degenerative disease.
- Ear ache or hearing loss?
Why: should consider acoustic neuroma, petrositis, mastoiditis, herpes zoster and cholesteatoma.
- Symptoms of Bell's palsy?
Why: e.g. marked weakness on one side of the face, mouth sags, drooling from the affected side of mouth, loss of taste on front of tongue, eye may water, pain behind the ear.
- Symptoms of depression?
Why: e.g. depressed mood, crying spells, flat affect ( absence of expression on the face), anhedonia (loss of interest or pleasure), increase or decrease in appetite (usually decreased), weight loss or gain, insomnia or increased sleeping (usually early morning waking), fatigue, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of excessive guilt, poor concentration, difficulty making decisions, low libido, thoughts of death or suicide attempt.
- Psychotic symptoms?
Why: e.g. hallucinations, delusions, disordered thought - may suggest schizophrenia but people with severe psychotic depression may also experience these symptoms, especially delusions. Blunting of affect is a disorder that may be seen in schizophrenia. The usual modulation of mood is lost, and the person lacks warmth, but does not convey the lowering of affect seen in severely depressed people.
- more symptoms...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Lack of facial expression (21
listings)
Misdiagnosis and Lack of facial expression
Undiagnosed stroke leads to misdiagnosed aphasia: BBC News UK reported on a man who
had been institutionalized and treated for mental illness...read more »
Dementia may be a drug interaction: A common scenario in aged care is for
a patient to show mental decline to dementia.
Whereas this can, of course, occur...read more »
ADHD under-diagnosed in adults: Although the over-diagnoses of ADHD
in children is a well-known controversy, the reverse side related to adults.
Some adults can remain undiagnosed, and indeed the condition has usually been
overlooked...read more »
Bipolar disorder misdiagosed as various conditions by primary physicians: Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder)
often fails to be diagnosed correctly by primary care physicians.
Many...read more »
Eating disorders under-diagnosed in men: The typical patient with
an eating disorder is female.
The result is that men with eating disorders often fail to be diagnosed or
have a...read more »
Depression undiagnosed in teenagers: Serious bouts of depression can be
undiagnosed in teenagers.
The "normal" moodiness of teenagers can cause severe medical depression
to be overlooked.
See misdiagnosis of depression or symptoms of...read more »
Undiagnosed anxiety disorders related to depression: Patients with depression (see symptoms of depression)
may also have undiagnosed anxiety disorders (see symptoms of anxiety...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Lack of facial expression
News Archives for Lack of facial expression
Medical news articles related to Lack of facial expression include:
Source: HealthDay News
Diagnostic Guides for Lack of facial expression
Medical Books Excerpts
Read excertps from published book sections related to Lack of facial expression
from the following published medical books
for more detailed information about Lack of facial expression.
Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Lack of facial expression
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Lack of facial expression: Research Related Doctors & Specialists
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Hospitals & Clinics: Lack of facial expression
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Lack of facial expression: Related Rare Diseases
Rare types of medical conditions and diseases in related medical categories:
Lack of facial expression: Self Assessment Tools
Lack of facial expression: Medical Mistakes
Lack of facial expression: Undiagnosed Conditions
Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:
Patient Surveys for Lack of facial expression
Organs affected by Lack of facial expression:
The list of organs typically affected by Lack of facial expression may include, but is not limited to:
Detailed list of causes of Lack of facial expression
The list below shows some of the causes of Lack of facial expression mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 74
causes of Lack of facial expression
How Common are these Causes of Lack of facial expression?
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases,
not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Lack of facial expression.
Of the 74
causes of Lack of facial expression that
we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
- 2
causes are "very common" diseases
- 1
causes are "common" diseases
- 3
causes are "uncommon" diseases
- 3
causes are "rare" diseases
- 6
causes are "very rare" diseases
- 64
causes have no prevalence information.
See the analysis of the prevalence of 74
causes of Lack of facial expression
Conditions listing symptoms: Lack of facial expression:
The following list of conditions
have 'Lack of facial expression' or similar
listed as a symptom in our database.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
Symbols
A
- Arnold Stickler Bourne syndrome
... expressionless face
- Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita - pulmonary hypoplasia
... expressionless face
- Arthrogryposis, distal, type 2A
... expressionless face
- Ashley syndrome
... lack of facial expression
- Asperger syndrome
... few facial expressions
- Asperger Syndrome, Susceptibility to, 1
... few facial expressions
- Asperger Syndrome, Susceptibility to, 2
... few facial expressions
- Asperger Syndrome, Susceptibility to, 3
... few facial expressions
- Asperger Syndrome, X-linked, Susceptibility to, 1
... few facial expressions
- Asperger Syndrome, X-linked, Susceptibility to, 2
... few facial expressions
B
C
E
F
G
H
K
L
M
N
P
R
S
T
V
Z
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Causes of Lack of facial expression Based on Risk Factors
This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Lack of facial expression based
on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient:
Travel - has the patient travelled recently?
Diabetes - history of diabetes or family history of diabetes?
Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Lack of facial expression?
Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Lack of facial expression, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.
Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :
Classifications of Lack of facial expression:
Subtypes of Lack of facial expression:
Loss of facial expression (4 causes)
Medical Conditions associated with Lack of facial expression:
Face symptoms (7761 causes), Expressions (88 causes), Smile symptoms (73 causes), Head symptoms (9526 causes), Emotional symptoms (1816 causes), Throat symptoms (3201 causes), Respiratory symptoms (4661 causes), Mouth symptoms (6679 causes), Breathing symptoms (3075 causes), Breath symptoms (2745 causes)
Symptoms related to Lack of facial expression:
Smile symptoms (73 causes), Face symptoms (7761 causes), Expression symptoms, Facial paralysis (31 causes), Marden-Walker Syndrome, Meningitis (52 causes), Meningococcal disease, Mobius syndrome, Moebius Syndrome, Muscular dystrophy, Hypogonadism (104 causes), Myasthenia Gravis, Möbius syndrome
Medical articles on signs and symptoms:
Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:
These general medical articles may be of interest:
See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
Medical News summaries about Lack of facial expression
Our news pages contain the following medical news summaries about Lack of facial expression and many other medical conditions:
Evidence Based Medicine Research for Lack of facial expression
Medical research papers related to Lack of facial expression include:
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