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Knowing the main Parkinson's symptoms provides an early warning system if you are concerned that you, or someone you know, may have this disease.
Parkinson's symptoms occur as a result of the loss of the part of the brain that produces the chemical dopamine - this is a key messenger both within the brain, and also between the brain and the muscles.
Parkinson's symptoms are varied, and thus can be hard to pin down. They frequently start on one side of the body before gradually spreading to the other. They include:
- Muscle tremors (shaking): This is usually the first thing people notice. It usually starts with the hands, with the patient making involuntary circular movements of the thumb and forefinger. It can also affect the arms, legs, even the head and jaw. It is worse when you are resting, and reduces when you sleep.
- Rigidity: limbs are stiff and difficult to move.
- Slowness: Difficulty moving can mean that walking is difficult, involving slow shuffling steps without moving the arms.
As the disease spreads to different muscles the problems will increase, to include issues with:
- Posture and balance: These can include falling backwards, difficulty turning, problems getting up out of a chair
- Speech problems
- Loss of facial expression - less smiling and frowning, slow blinking
- Small handwriting
- Difficulties swallowing
If you have concerns that you might be experiencing some of these, you should consult your doctor.
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