Parkinson's disease is a disorder that affects nerve cells in the part of the brain controlling muscle movement.
People with Parkinson's disease often experience trembling, muscle rigidity, difficulty walking, problems with balance and slowed movements. These symptoms usually develop after age 60, although some people affected by Parkinson's disease are younger than age 50.
Parkinson's disease is progressive, meaning the signs and symptoms become worse over time. But although Parkinson's disease may eventually be disabling, the disease often progresses gradually, and most people have many years of productive living after a diagnosis.
Furthermore, unlike other serious neurological diseases, Parkinson's disease is treatable. One treatment approach is medications. Another involves an implanted device that stimulates the brain. Other approaches involve surgery. Meanwhile, research into other treatments continues.
The earliest symptom of Parkinson's disease can be as subtle as an arm that doesn't swing while walking, a mild tremor in the fingers of one hand or soft, mumbling speech that's difficult to understand. A person may lack energy, feel depressed or have trouble sleeping. Or they may notice that it takes them longer to bath, shave, eat or do other routine tasks.
Other common signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease may include:
Tremor:It often starts with a slight shaking in the hand or even one finger. Sometimes hand tremor causes a back-and-forth rubbing the thumb and forefinger known as pill-rolling. Tremor may also develop in legs. These signs may occur on one or both sides of the body and may be more noticeable when the patient is under stress. Although tremor can be very distressing, it's usually not disabling and often disappears while sleeping. Many people with Parkinson's disease may not experience substantial tremor.
Slowed motion(medically called as 'bradykinesia'): Over time, Parkinson's disease may cause a slow, shuffling walk with an unsteady gait and stooped posture in a patient. The leg muscles may freeze up, making it hard to resume normal movement. This can make performing the simplest tasks difficult and time - consuming.
Rigid muscles: Muscle stiffness (rigidity) often occurs in the limbs (hands & legs) and neck. Sometimes the stiffness can be so severe that may limit the range of movements and causes pain.
Impaired balance: The overall body posture may become unstable as a result of Parkinson's disease. Often this problem remains minor for many years.
Loss of automatic movements: Blinking, smiling and swinging your arms when you walk are all unconscious acts that are a normal part of being human. In Parkinson's disease, these acts tend to be diminished and even lost. Some people may develop a fixed staring expression and unblinking eyes. Others may no longer gesture or seem animated when they speak.
Impaired speech: Many people with Parkinson's disease have some trouble speaking, and their voices often become monotonous and very soft. This may be a special problem for older adults because the soft voice of a person with Parkinson's disease may not be audible to a spouse with poor hearing.
Difficulty swallowing: This may develop in the later stages of the disease, but except in rare cases, most people who have trouble swallowing can continue to eat on their own.
Dementia: A small percentage of people with Parkinson's develop this mental disorder - which affects the ability to think, reason and remember - late in the course of the disease. In Parkinson's, the onset of dementia is often marked by slowed thought processes and problems with concentration.
1. Learn all you can about the illness: Find out how the disease progresses, your prognosis, and your treatment options and their side effects. The more you know, the more active you can be in your own care. In addition to talking to your health care team, look for books and information on the Internet, including the Web sites of various Parkinson's disease organizations.
2. Be proactive: Although a patient and family may often feel anxious or discouraged, don't let others make important decisions for you. Take an active role in your treatment. Seek help from your doctor and healthcare team.
3. Maintain a strong support system: Strong relationships are crucial in dealing with chronic illnesses. Although friends and family can be your best allies, the understanding of people who know what you're going through can be especially helpful. Support groups aren't for everyone, but for many people, they can be a good resource for practical information about Parkinson's disease. You may also find that you develop lasting bonds with people who are going through the same experiences as you.
4. Minimize work-related stress: A diagnosis of Parkinson's disease doesn't mean you or others in the family have to stop working. Many people with the disease continue to hold either full- or part-time jobs. But you may need to approach work differently. Start by breaking your job into individual tasks. Then consider whether your symptoms will affect your ability to perform each task.
5. Involve children in the family: Be honest with children. If you have children, don't try to hide the diagnosis from them. Children can usually sense when something is wrong in the family and the anxiety and fear of not knowing is often harder on them than knowing the truth. In addition, children need to be reassured that their mother or father will be all right and will still be there for them. Answering your children's questions honestly can help them cope.
