Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive demise of the nervous system marked by tremors, muscular rigidity, and slow, imprecise movement.
Parkinson’s occurs most often in middle-aged and elderly people as it is associated with degeneration of the basal ganglia of the brain and deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine. As Parkinson’s progresses, the need for elderly care becomes much greater. So, there are signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for in your senior loved ones when Parkinson’s has been diagnosed or if you already face a concern for early onset of the disease.
Is there a specific age when Parkinson’s Disease may begin?
No, there is no definite age where these symptoms will begin. While Parkinson’s is most often recognized in the elderly, some of the earliest signs may start an onset in earlier years. This means that it is important to keep an eye out for some of the earliest signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease throughout life, especially when it is likely important to make sure that elderly care will be needed in a person’s older years.
Is Parkinson’s Disease genetic? Can it be prevented with personal care?
Some studies show Parkinson’s disease is caused by genetic mutations in certain cases. However, this is not a consistent standard. It is actually quite rare. Research shows that only about 15% of Parkinson’s patients have a family history of it. Most research has proven a combination of genetic and environmental factors to be the cause of Parkinson’s disease.
While the causes of Parkinson’s disease are unknown it is important to keep an eye out for the most common symptoms of the disease, especially in aging seniors. Most often, during the elderly care of your aging parents, it is important to keep an eye out for symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and other neurological and musculoskeletal diseases. Many of these symptoms, such as tremors, trouble sleeping, slowness, loss of movement, poor balance, and constipation, overlap other diseases. Some of these may be the result of a stroke, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and others. Therefore, it is important that if any of the symptoms listed here begin to appear, then it is important for your senior to visit a doctor.
Early Signs and Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
A finite list of the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include a long list of physical changes that can make simple actions quite troublesome. Daily life can be slowly more difficult as these symptoms set in, making the importance of an early physician visit for a possible visit quite important.
A majority of these symptoms include the following:
- Tremors
- Small Handwriting
- Trouble Walking
- Trouble Sleeping
- Loss of Smell
- Poor Balance (basal ganglia)
- Slowness or Loss of Movement (bradykinesia)
- Facial Masking
- Weight Loss
- Constipation
- Vocal Changes
Some More Severe Symptoms
Psychological changes like changes in mood, loss of memory, confusion, anxiety, depression, or psychosis may not show up as quickly but they are often much more serious symptoms. Often these are symptoms that are similar to other issues like Alzheimer’s and Dementia, making it very important to gain a doctor’s diagnosis as quickly as possible when these symptoms start to appear.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Home Health Care in Piedmont, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203
Sources
Medicalnewstoday.com
Parkinson.org
Healthline.com/warning-signs
Healthline.com/is-parkinsons-hereditary
Mayoclinic.org
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