Common Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that causes tremors and affects movement. The damaged nerve cell in the brain causes dopamine ( a compound present in our body that acts as a neurotransmitter of other substances) levels to drop down leading to the symptoms of Parkinson’s. It often starts with a tremor in one hand. Other noticeable symptoms include stiffness, slow and unsteady movement, stiffness etc. Senior people above the age of 60 are prone to falling prey to the hands of this dreadful disease. According to various researches, Parkinson’s disease is more common in

Today, I am going to focus on some common symptoms of the Parkinson’s disease:

Tremor or shaking

The most common symptom of Parkinson’s disease is shaking or tremors. The tremor usually starts in the hands and gradually spreads to other parts of the body. The tremors can also happen during rest.

Stiff Muscles

Parkinson’s causes muscle stiffness that can affect any part of a body and causes limited range of motion and is painful.

Slow Movement

You may often notice that your senior loved one suffering from Parkinson’s is taking more time to complete a simple task. This is because Parkinson’s disease gradually slows a person’s movement. Your loved one may find it difficult to get up from a chair or he/ she may have to drag their feet while walking and have an unsteady gait due to a balance problem.

Difficulty swallowing food and Drooling

Many senior people suffering from Parkinson’s disease find it difficult to swallow food and make facial expressions like smiling, yawning etc. They may also face problems when blinking eyes, and swinging arms while walking. Drooling happens due to loss of facial muscle control.

Change in Speech

Your beloved senior’s speech can be affected by this disease. Their speech can become low, slurred, quick and monotone without any inflection (the modulation of intonation or pitch in the voice.)

Change in writing

People with Parkinson’s disease may find it difficult to write and their handwriting becomes unusually small and cramped. This handwriting change due to this disease is known as micrographic.

Managing Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease can’t be cured but medications can help to control the symptoms. Doctors usually prescribe medicines to increase Dopamine levels in the brain. Deep brain stimulation, a method that uses a small device placed in the chest to deliver mild electrical shocks to the part of the brain that has been damaged is also proving effective for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Elder Care Services in Kolkata provide rehab assistance services that you can avail yourself of for your senior loved ones to make them feel comfortable and relaxed. Yoga, Aerobics, and lifestyle changes can also help senior people with Parkinson’s disease lead a normal and comfortable life.

This article highlights the common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease to give a better understanding of the disease and also focuses on how to manage this disease to make your beloved seniors feel relaxed and comfortable.