Parkinson’s disease is a condition (in movement disorder group) that affects person’s central nervous system. It is caused by low levels of dopamine, which plays one of the initial roles in making our body to move. This disorder is chronic and the process develops worse and worse causing different health conditions that doctors call ‘symptoms of PD’.

Among all of the signs of Parkinson’s disease the most common are hidden under the famous acronym ‘TRAP’, that is tremor, rigidity, akinesia (slowness) and postural instability. Slowness of movements and other disorders of movement skill is one of the specific sign of PD.

So, how can you recognize a disorder?

Shaking. Your limbs begin to tremble without your intention. It happens when you rest and feel relaxed, your hand, fingers, foot or even chin begin to tremble. With a progress of the disorder you may experience trembling in other parts of your body (such as your lips and even tongue). This will aggravate with stress. Trembling is one of the most recognized symptoms.

Stiff muscles. Your muscles feel so rigid, that when you move (or trying to move) it hurts, and the pain increases (because muscles do not relax when they are at rest). Due to this muscle rigidity you also lose your ability to move spontaneously. Stiff muscles is also characterize with so-called ‘frozen shoulders (or neck)’.

Slowness of movements. This is another well recognized symptom of PD. You can not voluntary move your limbs, or can do it very slowly. It’s like you decide to sit down and remain standing a few seconds after it. Slowness can be seen in movements such as walking, sitting down, standing, raising your hand, turning your head, etc.

Lack of balance. To maintain the balance turns to be very difficult for people with PD. It turns to be very difficult for them to walk through narrow hallway or doors; sometimes they can even fall down while walking.

Face. Your facial expression is different from whet we ordinary see in healthy people (for example people with PD can not blink for a very long time). Your face may also look like mask, without any expression on it.

Walking. Manner of walking with flexed body in people with PD and their posture is very recognizable. Besides falling incidents, difficulty start walking (periods of ‘freezing’) you may notice that your arm is not swinging while walking, or that you drag your one leg (this is also the result of rigidity).

Problems with movements. With any movements, such as writing, holding a spoon or fork, eating, swallowing, ‘dealing’ with buttons, etc.

Speaking. Your voice becomes very soft (sound like whispering) and you may experience difficulty in speaking (or snowlines in the process).

Other symptoms include constipation, confusion, anxiety (or disturbance), depression, sexual dysfunction, hallucination and memory loss. Also oily skin, dandruff and excessive sweating.

People, suffering from PD may experience only some of these symptoms, or all of them. Primary symptoms in each person are also different. In some the disease may begin with balance difficulty, and in some - with slowness in movements. In some people the disease will develop slowly, in some - rather fast.

Valentyna Ant.