What Are The Non Motor Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease?

The fundamental symptoms of the Parkinson’s disease have to be obviously movement related & loss of muscles control. Since Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition, continued damage to brain leads to secondary symptoms which are basically the nonmotor symptoms which vary in severity and people-

• Feelings of insecurity, anxiety and stress.
• Confusion
• Dementia
• Memory loss
• Depression and low mood
• Constipation
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Excessive salivation
• Excess sweating
• Delusions
• Sex issues
• Problems in talking.

The neurodegenerative disease which affects the motor abilities of a patient is termed as Parkinson’s disease. The signs of Parkinson’s disease are primarily related to the voluntary or involuntary motor functions of our bodies. Being initially mild in nature, the tremors begin in one side of the body and then slowly progresses over a period of time. The early signs include-

Tremors: While a patient is resting tremors occur in several parts of the body including head, jaws, hands, arms, legs and feet. Originating in any of these parts, these tremors may worsen when the patient gets excited, stressed or tired.

Stiffness: A pattern of stiffness or rigidity is seen in the limbs and trunk which may increase in case of movement. Such rigidity may produce muscle aches and pain.

Loss of Fine Motor Skills: Loss of fine motor skills may lead to cramped handwriting which may be difficult to read. Such condition is called micrographia. Patient may also find It difficult to eat.

Movement Problems: Progressive slowness of voluntary movement which may result in difficulty to initiate movement and to even complete a movement gradually.

Loss of Reflexes: Impairment or loss of reflexes to adjust the posture and maintain balance.

According to the research done so far, doctors and scientists believe that Parkinson’s disease is a result of several factors genetic in nature and if you were exposed to trauma, certain kinds of diseases and suffered through a long span of illness and if you were exposed to toxins. Thus, the Parkinson’s disease cannot be prevented as of now since proper etiology is yet to be discovered.

The severity of Parkinson’s disease may vary from person to person which makes it impossible to predict how quickly this disorder will progress. One thing is for sure that Parkinson’s disease is not fatal and the average life expectancy of people with Parkinson’s disease is similar to that of people without the disease. In today’s medical field there is various treatment options available that help reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

A person with Parkinson’s disease is supposed to go for regular checkups to the health care professional for the following reasons-

Check-up: The check-ups help the health care professionals to check if the treatment procedure is working or not and also provides an insight about the necessary adjustments to be made.

Follow-ups- Regular follow-ups help in detection of new problems with cognition, behavior or mood which might need special treatment.

Analysis: The follow-ups provide a platform for caregivers to discuss the problems with respect to the patient’s care.

Progression of Dementia: It can also be known if the patient is susceptible to dementia with the help of regular checkups.

It may happen so that the person with Parkinson’s disease developing dementia may not be able to take care of himself or take decisions about his healthcare. Thus, caregivers should be extra careful and follow the regular follow-ups with the doctor.

Also Read:

• What Happens To Someone With Parkinson’s Disease?
• What Are The Early Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease?
• What is the Life Expectancy of Someone with Parkinson’s Disease?
• Why do People With Parkinson’s Lose Weight?
• How Long Does It Take For Parkinson’s Disease To Progress?
• How Do I Care For Someone With Parkinson’s Disease?
• How Do You Get Parkinson’s Disease?