Fact Checked
Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the nervous system affecting the movement of the individual. It develops gradually and sometimes it begins with a tremor in one hand and gradually causing stiffness and slowing down of movements.
In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, the face shows no expression or the arms does not swing when walking while the speech is soft and slurred and the symptoms of the disease will worsen as time progresses. If you want to learn more about this condition, read here.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
- There is tremor or shaking that starts in the limb oftentimes in the hand or fingers and the back-and-forth rubbing of the thumb and the forefingers which is known as pill-rolling tremor. A characteristic of Parkinson’s disease is shaking hands even in a relaxed state or at rest.
- Eventually, the disease will reduce the ability to move and slows down the movement, thus making simple activities difficult and consumes more time. The steps become shorter and the individual drags the feet when walking which makes it difficult when getting out of a chair.
- Muscle stiffness may happen in any part of the body and the range of motion is reduced caused by the pain.
- The posture becomes stooped and there is difficulty in the body balance.
- There is a decreased ability in performing unconscious movements like blinking, smiling and swaying of hands when walking and there is no gesture when talking.
- The speech is soft, quick, slurred or falters before talking and there is difficulty in writing and the letters becomes small.
Treatment and home remedies
- Eat a balanced diet that contains plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and drink plenty of liquids in order to help prevent constipation that is common with people suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
- Do some simple exercises in order to improve muscle strength, flexibility and balance, it can also improve the well-being of a person and for reducing depression and anxiety.
- In order to maintain balance in walking, avoid moving too quickly, aim for the heel to touch the floor first when walking and if the person notices that he/she is slouching, stop and correct the posture and stand up straight, then look front, not looking down while walking.
- In the later stages of the disease, the affected person can be thrown off balance by just a small push or a bump. Here are some suggestions that can help such as make a U-turn and avoid pivoting the body over the feet, keep the center of gravity on the feet and avoid leaning or reaching. Another is to avoid carrying something while walking and do not walk backward
- Seek the help of a physical therapist regarding techniques of doing daily activities like dressing, eating, bathing and writing since these activities are difficult for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease.