What Are the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors; stiff, ridged or aching muscles; slow and limited movement; weakness of face and throat muscles; and difficulty with walking and balance, according to WebMD. Symptoms and signs vary from person to person, but early signs are often mild and may go unnoticed.
Among the most common and noticeable symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremors or shaking that generally occurs in the hand, arm, or leg, notes WebMD. Although the condition tends to first affect one side of the body, as the disease progresses it may spread to both sides and affect other body parts, such as the chin, lips and tongue. Symptoms usually occur while awake and sitting or standing still, but they dissipate as the body part is moved.
Parkinson’s disease is also characterized by a reduced ability to move, slowing of bodily movement, muscle rigidity and difficulty with speech or writing, explains Mayo Clinic. Indicators include muscle stiffness in any part of the body that results in limited range of motion and pain, steps becoming shorter while walking, difficulty rising from a chair, or dragging your feet when walking, making it difficult to move or keep balanced. It also affects unconscious movements, such as blinking, smiling or swinging your arms when walking.
A person sick with this disease may have speech troubles, states WebMD. He may speak softly, quickly or hesitate before talking. Slow movement is also common when the ability to move is reduced. The disease makes simple tasks difficult and may even shorten walking steps. In addition, the disease may result in impaired posture and balance. Writing may seem small and become difficult.
