What is Parkinson's Disease & its Symptoms?
Warning Signs, Symptoms & Stages
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Walking, Balance, Freezing EPDA -Motor symptoms related to movement (tremor, freezing, Rigidity) This article focuses on FREEZING Walking and Balance and Parkinson's (<-- click on link to read more) Many people with Parkinson’s experience walking or balance problems, which can occur to different degrees. Gait problems can range from slowed speed, decreased arm swing and shuffling steps to difficulty getting started or freezing in place. Balance problems can cause unsteadiness and falls that make everyday tasks challenging. (Michael J. Fox Foundation) Understanding Movement Symptoms:Trouble Moving or Walking (<-- click on link to read more) Individuals with PD tend to lose their automatic movements. Especially as Parkinson’s advances, it may bring with it a variety of symptoms that are uncommon in early stages, such as problems with walking (gait abnormalities) and poor balance (postural instability). Feet begin to shuffle, and performing two tasks at once becomes more difficult. Turning becomes challenging, often leading to a freezing episode and sometimes a fall. (Parkinson's Foundation) Walking, Freezing, and Falling (<-- click on link to read more) The dopamine in your brain is heavily involved in controlling the movement of your body. In Parkinson’s there are reduced levels of dopamine. For this reason the most obvious changes related to Parkinson’s are normally those that affect our movement, including walking, falling, and freezing. (Parkinson's Victoria) Tremors and Dyskinesia Going Beyond the Tremor Symptoms (<-- click on link to read more) We conducted a large survey of people who have Parkinson’s disease, and asked many questions about what it’s like living with a chronic health condition that affects people so uniquely. Here are the highlights from what our community shared with us. (Parkinson's Disease) Tremors and Dyskinesias (<-- click on link to read more) We conducted a large survey of people who have Parkinson’s disease, and asked many questions about what it’s like living with a chronic health condition that affects people so uniquely. Here are the highlights from what our community shared with us. (OHSU Brain Institute) Light Headed when standing or sitting up Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension (nOH) (<-- click on link to read more) Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH) is a condition that is part of a larger category called orthostatic hypotension (OH), which is also known as postural hypotension. nOH is caused by dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system and causes people to feel faint when they stand up or sit up. (Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinsons) What is Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension (nOH) (<-- click on link to read more) Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH) is a rare disorder that is defined as low blood pressure that occurs upon standing. NOH is a sub-type of orthostatic hypotension (OH). With NOH and other forms of orthostatic hypotension, patients experience the same symptoms but for different reasons. NOH is caused by autonomic nervous system (ANS) malfunction. The ANS is the part of the nervous system that controls involuntary body activity, such as keeping blood pressure normal. (The MSA Coalition) Depression / Mood Disorders Psychiatry on Line:Management of Depression (<-- click on link to read more) Recognizing depressive symptoms in Parkinson’s disease can be challenging because the psycho-motor slowing and blunted affect commonly seen in depression can resemble the bradykinesia and masked facial expression of Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, somatic features of depression such as decreased appetite, low energy, and sleep disturbances are commonly seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease who do not have depression. Furthermore, depression must e differentiated from apathy, which commonly occurs in Parkinson’s disease, is characterized by diminished motivation, and has significant overlap with depressive symptoms. (American Journal of Psychiatry) Depression and Parkinsons (<-- click on link to read more) Depression not only affects your brain and behavior—it affects your entire body. Depression has been linked with other health problems, including Parkinson’s disease. Dealing with more than one health problem at a time can be difficult, so proper treatment is important. (National Institute of Mental Health) Psychosis & Hallucinations Parkinsons-treatment-tips-on-psychosis-and-hallucinations (<-- click on link to read more) Psychosis in Parkinson’s disease is believed to be due to long term use of parkinsonian medications especially dopaminergic and anticholinergic drugs. However, significant medication exposure is no longer a pre-requisite in Parkinson’s disease psychosis. The “continuum hypothesis” states that medication-induced psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s disease starts with sleep disturbances accompanied by vivid dreams, and then develops into hallucinations and delusions, and ends in delirium. However, this theory is now being challenged. (University of Florida Health Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration) Uncovering Hidden Symptoms: Hallucinations and Delusions (<-- click on link to read more) An article by Dr. Amita Patel, M.D., professor of Psychiatry, CMD, MHA, CPD at Wright State University, Boonshoft School of Medicine. She discusses PD psychosis, its symptoms, discussions to have with doctors and family members, and treatment. (News-Medical Life Sciences) "Fall Prevention for People with Parkinson's" ********NEW******** Download file to view brochure Massachusetts General Hospital / Occupational Therapy
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Understanding Parkinsons: 10 Early Warning Signs (<-- click on link to read more)
It can be hard to tell if you or a loved one has Parkinson’s disease (PD). This website discusses 10 signs that you might have the disease. No single one of these signs means that you should worry, but if you have more than one sign you should consider making an appointment to talk to your doctor. (Parkinson's Foundation) National Institute on Aging: Parkinson's Disease (<-- click on link to read more) Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination. Parkinson’s symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. They may also have mental and behavioral changes, sleep problems, depression, memory difficulties, and fatigue. Both men and women can have Parkinson’s disease. However, the disease affects about 50 percent more men than women. (National Institute on Aging / US Dept. of Health & Human Services) Healthline: Five Stages of Parkinson's Disease (<-- click on link to read more) Many doctors who diagnose this brain disorder rely on the Hoehn and Yahr rating scale to classify the severity of symptoms. The scale is broken into five stages based on disease progression. The five stages help doctors evaluate how far the disease has advanced. (Healthline) Micrographia & Handwriting Changes Micrographia and Parkinson's Disease (<-- click on link to read more) Micrographia describes a symptom of Parkinson’s disease that affects handwriting. Writing begins normally and then gradually becomes small and cramped. (Shirley Ryan Ability Lab) Suggestions for Handwriting Changes (<-- click on link to read more) Many people with Parkinson’s disease notice changes in their handwriting. Handwriting often becomes small and cramped, and can become difficult to control when writing for longer periods of time. This handwriting change is called micrographia. (Parkinson's Foundation) Fatigue Fatigue in Parkinsons Disease (<-- click on link to read more) Fatigue is one of the most common non-motor symptoms reported in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Up to 58% of patients with PD report symptoms of fatigue and a third of patients claim it is their most disabling symptom. (International Parkinson & Movement Disorder Society) Fatigue in Parkinson's: Exploring the Unexplored (<-- click on link to read more) For the past seven years, Threlkeld has been performing research related to one of the most debilitating symptoms of the disease—fatigue. This insidious symptom can make it daunting to pour a glass of milk, wash the dishes and take a shower. “People with Parkinson’s find fatigue very difficult,” says Bertoni. (Creighton University) Constipation Parkinsons Disease and Constipation (<-- click on link to read more) Constipation is a common complication of Parkinson’s disease, but it can be managed with lifestyle changes such as adding extra fiber to your diet, or medical treatment. Many people who have Parkinson’s disease notice difficulties with constipation before they notice motor symptoms such as tremor or stiffness. (BetterHealth) Parkinsons treatment tips for constipation (<-- click on link to read more) Over the years we have noticed that Parkinson’s disease patients commonly present with constipation. We always recommend as much daily vigorous exercise as is possible and drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. If that doesn’t work, we have over the last ten years handed people this formula, which has been a secret that has been refined by Janet Romrell, P.A.-C in our practice. (University of Florida Health Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration) Vision Changes APDA: Neuro-ophthalmology (<-- click on link to read more) Neuro-ophthalmology is a medical specialty studying the impact of neurological diseases on vision. A neuro- ophthalmologist is either an ophthalmologist or a neurologist who has additional training and expertise in problems of the eye and nervous system. Neuro-ophthalmologists attempt to bridge the gap between the two disciplines by diagnosing and treating the visual manifestations of a neurological disease. (APDA) Parkinson's Issues with Vision (<-- click on link to read more) People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may have a variety of complaints related to their vision such as trouble reading, double vision and dry eyes. While these issues don’t affect every person with PD, it is important to know what the different issues are and that there are a variety of ways to treat them. (APDA) Executive Function & Cognitive Changes Parkinson's Disease and Dementia (<-- click on link to read more) The brain changes caused by Parkinson’s disease begin in a region that plays a key role in movement. As Parkinson’s brain changes gradually spread, they often begin to affect mental functions, including memory and the ability to pay attention, make sound judgments and plan the steps needed to complete a task. (Alzheimer's Association) APDA: Parkinson's and Cognitive Changes (<-- click on link to read more) First, what is cognition? Cognition is a general term that refers to the mental abilities that we use to process information and apply knowledge. These mental processes allow us to perform daily functions such as paying attention, solving problems, and remembering where items are and how to do certain tasks. When people typically talk about cognition, they often focus on “memory”, but “memory” is only one aspect of cognition. Rather, in the study of cognition, we talk about “cognitive domains” which reflect different types of cognitive processes and are described in detail on this website. (APDA) Handbooks & Other Resources APDA Parkinson's Disease Handbook (<-- click on link to read more) This APDA handbook has been designed to help by providing valuable information, including:
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