April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Parkinson’s is a chronic and progressive movement disorder that affects the nervous system and causes tremors. Nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s today. Currently, the cause of Parkinson’s is unknown, as is the cure. However, there are treatment options available, including medication and surgery, to manage its symptoms.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s include the following:
- Tremors (these usually begin in a limb, most often the hands or fingers)
- Slowed Movement (ex: steps getting shorter, dragging of one’s feet, difficulty getting up)
- Muscle Rigidity
- Impaired Posture and Balance
- Loss of Automatic Movements (decreased ability to perform movements such as smiling or blinking)
- Speech Impairment (ex: speaking softly, slurring words, lacking inflection)
- Writing Changes
Generally, Parkinson’s symptoms develop gradually, and may even go unnoticed at first. If you start to realize that yourself or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, visit a physician immediately so that you can explore treatments options.
