FEBRUARY 2019 NEWS IN PARKINSON’S
MEDCAL NEWS TODAY:
Early signs of Parkinson’s disease are:
Tremors –typically appear on one side of the body. May be very subtle.
Difficulty walking –shuffling or irregular gait
Cramped or small handwriting – micrographia
Loss of smell – hyposmia ( may be symptomatic of other conditions including Alz. and Huntington’s)
Sleep problems – wide range of symptoms from insomnia to uncontrolled motion while sleeping
Poor balance –may affect basal ganglia
Bradykinesia - slowness or absence of movement
Vocal Changes - changes in volume and quality
Facial masking – reduced ability to make facial expressions
Stooping or hunched posture – may start bending forward due to muscle rigidity
Constipation – a common non-motor symptom however, may have wide range of causes
Psychological symptoms – the disease lowers the natural level of dopamine which can cause changes in mood and behavior
Weight loss – mild to moderate
Having any of these symptoms does not mean that one has Parkinson’s but anyone expressing any or multiples of these symptoms and is over 60, should seek the advice of their physician.


COMPASSIONATE, EFFECTIVE, AFFORDABLE CARE