Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement. Symptoms can vary from person to person but commonly include:
- Tremor: Shaking, often starting in a limb, often the hands or fingers. A characteristic tremor of Parkinson’s is a “pill-rolling” tremor of the hands.
- Bradykinesia: Slowed movement. Over time, Parkinson’s can reduce your ability to move and slow your movements, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming.
- Muscle Rigidity: Muscle stiffness can occur in any part of the body. The stiff muscles can be painful and limit your range of motion.
- Impaired Posture and Balance: Posture may become stooped, or you may have balance problems as a result of Parkinson’s disease.
- Loss of Automatic Movements: Decreased ability to perform unconscious movements, such as blinking, smiling, or swinging your arms when you walk.
- Speech Changes: You may speak softly, quickly, slur, or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more monotone rather than having the usual inflections.
- Writing Changes: It may become hard to write, and your writing may appear small (micrographia).
Additional symptoms can include:
- Depression and Emotional Changes: You may experience depression, sometimes in the very early stages. Receiving treatment for depression can make it easier to handle the other challenges of Parkinson’s disease.
- Sleep Problems and Sleep Disorders: People with Parkinson’s often have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep through the night.
- Cognitive Impairment: Cognitive problems (dementia) and thinking difficulties are common, especially in the later stages of the disease.
- Bladder and Bowel Problems: Parkinson’s can cause bladder problems, including being unable to control urine or having difficulty urinating. Constipation is common.
Parkinson’s symptoms often begin on one side of the body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect both sides.
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