Parkinson’s disease is a nervous system disorder affecting more men than women and those mainly over 65 years of age. Here are some early signs of Parkinson’s disease:
Loss of Smell – 70-90% of patients have a dulled sense of smell, have difficulty detecting smells, identifying smells or differentiating odors.
Sleep Problems – Many patients have insomnia, fatigue, sleep apnea and nightmares.
- Poor Balance
- Slowness of Movement
- Reduced Facial Expressions often called facial masking
- Vocal Changes – voices often become softer or fade away
- Stooped or Hunched Posture
- Constipation
- Psychological Effects – depression, anxiety, dementia, confusion
- Weight Loss
- Tremors – twitching or shaking hands, legs or chins -typically appearing first on one side of the body
- Difficulty walking – shuffling gaits
- Cramped Handwriting
If you have these signs or symptoms, see your physician to seek treatment. There are medications to manage these symptoms and the earlier you can be diagnosed the better you and your provider can manage Parkinson’s disease. ElderCare 4 Families helps many Parkinson’s patients. If you need assistance, please call us at 502-244-8446.
