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.

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COMPASSIONATE, EFFECTIVE, AFFORDABLE CARE