5 SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE YOU SHOULDN’T IGNORE
Parkinson’s disorder is a progressive disorder of the Central Nervous System, which mainly impacts the moving abilities of an individual. People aged 60 years and above are most likely to develop this disease due to the reduction in dopamine secretion. Hereditary reasons may also lead to this problem. Given the complexities that Parkinson’s can lead to, it is advisable not to ignore the early signs of the disease. Continuing the discussion further, the blog post discusses five most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Take a look.
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1. Tremors and Shaking Parkinson’s disorder is a progressive disorder of the Central Nervous System, which mainly impacts the moving abilities of an individual. People aged 60 years and above are most likely to develop this disease due to the reduction in dopamine secretion. Hereditary reasons may also lead to this problem. Given the complexities that Parkinson’s can lead to, it is advisable not to ignore the early signs of the disease. Continuing the discussion further, the blog post discusses five most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Take a look.
2. Stiff and Aching Muscles Apart from tremors, a Parkinson patient can also feel stiffness and pain in the body muscles. As the disease progresses, the muscles may get stiffer and restrict the range of motion. This may also prevent the patient from performing day-to-day activities. Stiffness and aching in the muscles can either be a constant or an intermittent issue. In both the cases one cannot afford to neglect the symptom, assuming that it might be normal body strain.
3. Body Balance Problems The symptom of body balance and posture is caused mainly due to loss of reflexes that leads to inability to maintain an upright posture. A Parkinson patient generally takes baby steps, getting too conscious about the position of their feet. Problems such as stooping, slouching and swaying backwards are also common that increase the probability of frequent slip and fall injuries. In fact, a Parkinson’s patient can easily become off balance by a small push or bump after the disorder progresses to a later stage.
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4. Changes in Speech Parkinson’s disease weakens the throat and face muscles due to which a patient can experience speech problems such as - a soft and monotonous speech. Parkinson’s patients also tend to stammer or appear hesitant when trying to speak. As the disease progresses, the facial muscles continue to weaken, leading to an almost expressionless face called the “Parkinson’s Mask.”.
5. Changes in Handwriting You can notice sudden changes in the writing pattern of a Parkinson’s patient. Most patients find it difficult to control the size and spacing of individual letters and words as they used to do before, which makes their handwriting look cramped. Though a Parkinson’s patient may continue to write during the initial days of developing this disease, this ability also gets impaired with time.
Wrapping Up Parkinson’s affects nearly 60,000 Americans every year, which is a grave concern. The disorder is debilitating and in extreme cases, the patient may completely lose their ability to move. Due to the severity of Parkinson’s disease, it’s essential to take care of a Parkinson’s patient that calls for a Parkinson nursing plan. Caring for a patient alone and addressing complex needs is difficult, therefore, you can seek assistance from caregivers who follow a dedicated nursing plan to take care of Parkinson patients.
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