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Is it Parkinson’s Disease? 10 types of symptoms

 

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. Symptoms and signs may vary from person to person, and early signs may be mild or even go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of your body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect both sides.

Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s often starts with a tremor in one hand. Other symptoms are slow movement, stiffness and loss of balance.

People may experience the following types of symptoms:

Tremor: Can occur at rest, in the hands, limbs or can be postural

Muscular: Stiff muscles, difficulty standing, difficulty walking, difficulty with bodily movements, involuntary movements, muscle rigidity, problems with coordination, rhythmic muscle contractions, slow bodily movement or slow shuffling gait

Sleep: Daytime sleepiness, early awakening, nightmares or restless sleep

Whole body: Fatigue, dizziness, poor balance or restlessness

Cognitive: Amnesia, confusion in the evening hours, dementia, or difficulty thinking and understanding

Sensory: Distorted sense of smell, loss in contrast sensitivity, or loss of smell

Speech: Impaired voice, soft speech or voice box spasms

Mood: Anxiety or apathy

Urinary: Dribbling of urine or leaking of urine

Facial: Jaw stiffness or reduced facial expression

Also common: Blank stare, constipation, depression, difficulty swallowing, drooling, falling, fear of falling, neck tightness, small handwriting, trembling, unintentional writhing or weight loss

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you have any of the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease — not only to diagnose your condition but also to rule out other causes for your symptoms.

Although Parkinson’s disease can’t be cured, medications may markedly improve your symptoms. In occasional cases, your doctor may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of your brain and improve your symptoms.

If you have concerns, call the neurology practice at (830) 379-1510 to make an appointment.

 

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