parkinsons disease

Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease has four symptoms relating to motor function. They are balance instability, tremors while the body is resting, rigidity and uncontrollable twitches or movements. There are other secondary symptoms that a doctor will recognize but some people react differently than others so their symptoms will be different. Some have primary symptoms but may only have trouble with balance and will not have tremors. In some patients, the disease will progress at a slower rate than others.
Primary motor symptoms include a symptom called resting tremors. More than 70 percent of Parkinson’s patients will exhibit these tremors in the early stages of their disease. The tremor usually appears in a hand or foot on only one side of the body. Sometimes it will be noticed in the face or jaw but that is less common. The tremors appear as a beating tremor and appear when the muscles are relaxed. The body part affected will have a tremor when it is not doing any work. It most cases, the tremors will spread to the other side of the body but will be more noticeable on the original side the tremors began on.

The second symptom that involves the primary motor system is slow movement. This is called bradykinesia and the patient experiences slowing of movements and will have difficulty in starting a movement. It may feel their feet are stuck to the ground, or they will have problems with stopping movement that has already started. It causes the patient to walk with a shuffling and shorter step than normal. Bradykinesia can occur in the facial muscles and the patients face will not be able to reflect the range of emotions it is feeling. This gives the person a mask-like appearance and can be alarming.

A person with Parkinson’s disease may have a problem with balance and coordination. This increases the risk of falling for Parkinson’s patients and combined with rigidity makes it harder to remain balanced. The person may not be able to take that first step, and have trouble with eating, speaking and swallowing. Balance can be improved by using yoga postures while doing breathing exercises and meditating.

Fourth and last of the four main motor symptoms is rigidity. It means the body and muscles in the body are unable to stretch normally when they move. It also means the muscles cannot relax when they are not working. The muscle tone weakens and the affected body part becomes stiff and will not relax. This causes a problem when walking because the natural flow of the arms swinging by the side is restricted. Rigidity can cause some severe cramping and related pains in the muscles and affected limbs.

If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these symptoms it is time to speak to your doctor. Your doctor will take your medical history and give you simple tasks to perform to see how well you can complete them. They may also want you to walk and speak to discover if Parkinson’s disease is the correct diagnosis. If that is what is decided, there are proven methods of treating it although as of yet, there is no cure.

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Parkinson’s Disease Warning Signs

Do you know if you are at risk for Parkinson’s disease? What are the symptoms? What should you watch for if you know there is a close relative who has Parkinson’s disease? These are all great questions and information you need to know. Parkinson’s Disease is rarely found in the young and is more often diagnosed in men.

Parkinson’s Disease will normally begin in middle or late life and if you have a relative with Parkinson’s you have a bigger risk of developing this disease. Men are more at risk for developing the disease and if you have had a continuing exposure to some pesticides and herbicides. Scientists and researchers believe there is a connection between environmental issues and genetic mutations. Many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease occur because of brain cells that produce dopamine are damaged or die. Dopamine is a chemical messenger formed in the brain. Dopamine affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and ability to experience pleasure and pain.

Parkinson’s disease normally develops gradually and progressively gets worse over the years. It may start out as a slight tremor in one hand, or your face will show little or no expression. Speech may become low and jumbled and get worse as the disease progresses.

The most common warning sign of Parkinson’s disease is a noticeable tremor. This one characteristic can signal the approach of the disease. Tremors will normally start on one side of the body and most often in the hand. Sometimes the patient will make a rolling motion between the thumb and forefinger known as the “pill rolling” motion.

Slow or reduced motion may be another sign of Parkinson’s disease. The disease will impair your ability to start voluntary movement. This means your walk may become shuffling and your steps shorter, or you may find it difficult to make that first step. That means that even the simplest jobs are time-consuming and difficult for those who have this disease.

Another warning sign may be the opposite of the tremor. It may mean that muscle stiffness occurs in the neck and lower limbs. This stiffness can cause pain and restrict your range of motion. Being unbalanced is another sign of Parkinson’s and is common in most patients. It is usually a minor symptom until the disease reaches the later stages.

A patient with Parkinson’s disease may lose automatic movements. The simple act of smiling or blinking, or putting one foot in front of the other are all normal automatic movements that may be impaired by this disease. A patient may acquire a staring expression and will not blink as a normal person would. They may no longer have the ability to seem animated when they are speaking or may find they no longer use hand gestures while talking.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these warning signs or symptoms, you should contact your doctor. The doctor can rule out other causes for the symptoms and give a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. An accurate diagnosis is key to starting with the correct treatment. The right treatment may delay or manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease for several years. 

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