Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that mainly affects the motor functions of the body. It occurs due to damaged neurons in the substantial ganglia of the brain. This part of the brain is responsible for movement.

The damage in this specific part of the brain can be caused due to various factors which become more prominent as you age. This damage comes along with a set of signs and symptoms which can worsen with time if ignored.

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Tremors

Tremors and constant shaking are often rhythmic and usually begin with one hand, foot, or a whole limb. As time goes on, the tremors are seen to affect both sides of the body. These tremors are usually seen to occur when the affected part of the body is at rest.

The Tremors occurring in Parkinson’s disease are often termed pill-rolling tremors. It is because when they occur, the person seems as if rolling a pill between their thumb and fingers.

Tremors are usually very disturbing and unproductive for the affected individuals as it comes in their way of performing various everyday motor skills.

Altered Speech

Speech, being one of many motor functions, is also severely affected by Parkinson’s disease. The individual experiences a change in speech after the onset of the disease. The changes in speech are however varied.

The voice may become softer, or it might start with a stronger tone only to fade away later. The person can experience a stutter. The individual  may find it difficult to express any emotions through their voice as they speak and end up speaking with a monotone

As time goes on, the speech worsens to the extent that one has to put in a lot of effort to utter words and requires the person to spend a lot of energy to deliver their words.

Loss Of Smell

The ability to smell, though not a motor function, is also severely affected by Parkinson’s disease. This symptom is usually ignored by people since it is a very common one, shared by a lot of diseases.

You might think that the loss of smell is due to a cold, flu, or any other acute illness. However, that’s not always the case. You must consult a physician if this issue prolongs as it might be due to Parkinson’s disease.

This symptom is often seen to occur decades before the other symptoms show up. The loss of smell is accompanied by poor taste sense and in rare cases weight loss which is yet another symptom.

Trouble In Walking Or Any Other Voluntary Movements

This is another very common symptom that occurs sometime after the onset of the illness. It usually begins with difficulty moving limbs of one side and is later seen to affect both sides of the body.

The affected individuals find it difficult not only to initiate movement but also struggle to continue and can barely perform any task properly as the disease worsens with time.

The abnormal movement is also accompanied by involuntary movements.

The abnormal and involuntary movements are due to an increase in dopamine and a lack of its reception in the neurons. The limbs are seen to have impaired movement.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are yet another symptom of the disorder. They occur early on the onset of the disorder. Though not linked to functions, the sleep patterns of a person are severely affected by the onset of the disorder.

The irregularity is not of one but of various types. The affected individual may suffer from insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, nightmares, and analogs with uncontrolled movements while asleep.

The disturbance in sleep patterns also gives rise to numerous other imbalances and issues. One such very common issue is the occurrence of psychological disorders. Disturbed sleep patterns affect the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, which is another symptom of the disorder.

Rigidity

Rigidity refers to the stiffness of body muscles which causes difficulty in voluntary movement. The stiff muscles end up causing immobility. In addition to that, the stiffness in muscles comes along with severe pain.

The rigidity occurs in the legs, arms, and neck as well as facial muscles. The rigid facial muscles cause the face to be expressionless and the individual fails to express any emotion through their face.

This rigidity consequently affects the balance of the body. The person is unable to move smoothly and finds it difficult to balance them without string support.

Posture Dysfunction

Posture control, being a voluntary function, is severely affected later after the onset of the disorder. The person fails to sit back straight and has a curved posture as they sit or stands.

This occurs as the person is unable to control their orientation and is not able to gather the strength to attain stability.

It is very tiring for the affected individuals to sit back straight and maintain a stable posture on their own without any support.

Psychological Disorders

Numerous psychological disorders make their way into a person’s life affected by Parkinson’s disease. In addition to other devastating symptoms, psychological disorders are yet an addition.

The disorders include depression, anxiety, minor illusions, hallucinations, vivid dreams, paranoia, and confusion. These disorders, in addition to other symptoms, make a person’s life very devastating and unproductive.

These symptoms can, however, be limited and controlled to some extent by therapy and certain medications.

Conclusion

Parkinson’s disease, as evident from the form discussion, is quite difficult to deal with. It comes along with a set of very challenging symptoms that somewhat disable the person to do anything at all.

The symptoms, especially the early ones, are not to be ignored at all. This is because as the disease is a chronic and progressive one, it continues to worsen as time goes on and cannot be reversed. Therefore it is better to begin its treatment as early as possible.

Though there’s no permanent cure for the disease, treatments like physiotherapy can reduce the effects of symptoms and improve the quality of life.

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