Parkinson’s disease is defined as “A neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately the dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra.” www.parkinson.org
Symptoms generally develop slowly over years. The progression of symptoms is often a bit different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. People with PD may experience:
- Tremor, mainly at rest and described as pill rolling tremor in hands; other forms of tremor are possible.
- Slowness and paucity of movement (called bradykinesia and hypokinesia)
- Limb stiffness (rigidity)
- Gait and balance problems (postural instability)
In addition to movement-related (“motor”) symptoms, Parkinson’s symptoms may be unrelated to movement (“non-motor”). People with PD are often more impacted by their non-motor symptoms than motor symptoms. Examples of non-motor symptoms include: depression, anxiety, apathy, hallucinations, constipation, orthostatic hypotension, sleep disorders, loss of sense of smell, and a variety of cognitive impairments.
Check out https://www.parkinson.org/ for more info!
Individual’s living with Parkinson’s can still have a fruitful and meaningful life. Our friendly physio therapists and occupational therapists can assist will all your mobility and activities of daily living.
To learn more about Vista Healthcare’s services and take the first step towards achieving your goals contact us today. We know it can often be challenging waiting weeks to be seen by healthcare professionals, that’s why we have put in place a No-Waitlist scheme to ensure best client outcomes are possible.