FACIAL EXPRESSIONS


/1/ General term:

• facies, faciei, f.        face; expression, countenance (typical of a certain disease or state)


/2/ Terms referring to healthy or pathological state:

• f. composita             “normal, natural face”, i.e. composed, regular face of a healthy person

• f. dolorosa               facial expression of a person suffering from pain

• f. febrilis                  feverous face expression, i.e. restless, discomposed characterized
by                          shiny eyes and redness in face

• f. plethorica             hyperemic face with florid, red complexion due to excessive
circulation                                   of blood


/3/ Terms referring to a certain disease/dysfunction of a certain organ:

• f. alcoholica / aethylica       bloated, persistently red face as a consequence of excessive
drinking

• f. pneumonica      one-sided blush on the same cheek as the lung affected by pneumonia

• f. nephritica         oedematous, pale face due to the inflammation of kidneys with
swelling                         appearing most around eyes

• f. cardiaca             oedematous, pale, and yellowish face with cyanotic hue; half open
mouth,                               cyanotic lips; typically accompanies heart failure

• f. anaemica           very pale face with greenish tint in patients with iron deficiency

• f. mitralis              blush on cheeks, cyanotic tip of the nose and ears; the patient
looks                                        younger his/her age; typical of patients with mitral
stenosis

• f. gastrica              facial expression typical of acute stomach problems; deep nasolabial
fold

• f. tuberculosa / hectica    exhausted, pale face with blush on cheeks, “burning” eyes,
dry                                    lips, excited countenance, half open mouth

• f. morbillosa            “unhappy” facial expression with rash and reddened eyes sensitive
to                          light; typical of children suffering from measles

• f. syphilitica             melancholic facial expression with saddle nose deformation; typical
of                         the patients having the late congenital syphilis (syphilis
congenital                         tarda)



• f. tetanica / risus sardonicus

facial expression typical of tetanus patients; mouth widened as in laughter, but the skin on
forehead as if expressing grief; tonic spasm of mimic and chewing muscles

• f. leontina     the lion-like facial appearance occurring in patients with certain forms
of                                  leprosy


/4/ Eponyms:

• facies Hippocratica → facies abdominalis

sunken eyes, pinched nose, deadly livid and cyanotic skin sometimes covered with      large drops
of cold sweat, specific for the collapse due to severe disease of abdominal     organs accompanied
by peritonitis (rupture of gall bladder, perforated ulcer in stomach      or duodenum)

• facies Parkinsonica / oleosa

amimic face with characteristic stare; the patient seems to lean forward to the  observer; oily
skin of face, sometimes drooling occurs; typical of patients with            advanced Parkinson's
disease (morbus Parkinson)