Parkinson’s disease is a deteriorative brain condition that greatly affects an individual’s life.
Spotting the signs early can help improve quality of life, as well as allow greater opportunity for treatment to work effectively.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Caused by a loss of nerve cells in a part of the brain resulting in the reduction of dopamine (sometimes known as the ‘feel good’ hormone), Parkinson’s disease is a condition which affects motor ability.
It is a degenerative disease, meaning that gradually more parts of the brain will become damaged as the condition progresses, thus causing symptoms to worsen over time.
Whilst Parkinson’s disease mostly affects those over the age of 50, it can occasionally be diagnosed in people under the age of 40.
Early signs
Like all conditions, there are early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease that can be monitored.
Whilst it goes without saying that having one or more of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have Parkinson’s disease, it is important to be aware of how it can begin manifesting.
Here are some of the early signs to look out for:
- Smaller or a change of handwriting
- Trouble walking or moving
- Constipation
- A lower or softer voice
- Masked face
- Dizziness or fainting
- Stooping or hunching over
This list doesn’t cover all early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, but it does include those which may not be so obvious.
What are the main symptoms I should look out for?
Some of the more common symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease include:
- Involuntary shaking (tremor) of certain parts of the body
- Slow movement
- Stiff and inflexible muscles
However, further symptoms can also include problems with balance, sleeping issues (insomnia), memory problems, as well as the loss of taste and smell.
Psychological problems can also include depression and anxiety. This is likely due to the toll that the physical symptoms of the disease take on the person.
Treatment
There is no official cure for Parkinson’s disease, although early diagnosis can help treatment be more responsive.
Care management, including help such as care plans, can also greatly improve the longevity of quality of life.
At Synergy Complex Care, we offer a variety of clinical and therapeutic care which is tailored to each of our clients with Parkinson’s disease. Our services help our clients to remain as independent as possible, as well as sustain as much of their lifestyle as they had prior to their diagnosis.
If you would like to find out more about how we can help somebody with Parkinson’s disease, please do not hesitate to contact us.