Michael J. Fox says having Parkinson's disease 'sucks'
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Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine in the brain. What are the five early symptoms indicating the condition could be setting in?
It can be hard to tell if you or a loved one has Parkinson’s disease.
Symptoms generally develop slowly over years.
The progression of symptoms is often a bit different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease.
Five main symptoms of Parkinson’s include:
Tremor
This is the most common of the signs and could include a slow tremor of the hand at rest which disappears during voluntary movement.
It normally appears in one hand but eventually both hands will be affected as the disease progresses.
The tremor will be uncontrollable and similar to shaking.
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Slowness of movement
Also known as bradykinesia, slowness of movement is associated with difficulties across the whole movement process, from planning to initiation to execution of movement.
It’s been described as the gradual loss and slowing down of spontaneous movement, which may appear as a decrease in facial expressions.
Rigidity
*Known as stiffness and resistance to limb movement.
Rigidity may be associated with joint pain and is a frequent initial manifestation of the disease. The muscles become rigid due to the inability to relax.
Postural instability
This symptom usually occurs in the later stages of the disease and is a balancing issue.
A person may find it difficult to maintain an upright position and is unstable when standing.
This instability leads to a person with Parkinson’s to often fall over.
Freezing
This is when a person feels as if their feet are glued to the ground, especially when turning or changing direction.
Freezing is also when a person feels like their lower half is stuck but the top half is able to move.
Freezing also affects activities such as speaking or when doing a repetitive movement such as writing.
Mayo Clinic said: “Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement.
“Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand.
“Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.
“In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, your face may show little or no expression.
“Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson’s disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time.”
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