Motor System Disorders
Parkinson’s disease is just one of four of the group of conditions known as motor system disorders. There are basically four symptoms that define this disorder and they are trembling hands, trembling, stiffness, slowness and postural instability. These four symptoms can be noticed as trembling in the hands, legs, arms, face and jaw. The stiffness is seen the trunk and limbs, the slowness is part of physical movement and the postural instability has to do with balance and coordination. Over time these symptoms will give the sufferer trouble with talking, walking or just doing everyday tasks.
Typically this disorder is seen in those who are over the age of fifty and the symptoms can be subtle at first. They will gradually become more noticeable and this increase can be fast in some and slowly in others. As the shaking and trembling progresses it can cause patients to become depressed because of the difficult they have just getting through each day. There can be emotional changes and swallowing can become difficult also. Because so many physical effects take place there can also be trouble with constipation, skin problems, urinary trouble and difficulty in speaking and chewing. The diagnosis for this disease is done base on medical history and a neurological exam since there is not blood or test to use for a diagnosis.
There is no cure for Parkinson’s but there are many medications that patients can try to get some relief. This condition is both progressive and chronic. The symptoms will get worse as time passes and they will persist for a long time. Some people who have Parkinson’s will become disable where others are lucky to have just minor disruptions in the motor skills. Some patients will have difficult with the tremors that are severs where others will have few tremors and comment more about the trouble doing other things. Everyone is different so each sufferer will have their own intensity of symptoms. In the beginning stages of this disease, some family members will notice that the face of a loved one is showing little sign of expression and this can be the beginning. Even the speech can begin to be like a mumble and soft in sound. Make an appointment with your doctor soon if you have any of the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. Do this to not only to diagnose this condition but also to rule out other causes for the symptoms you are experiencing.
