April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month

[Wrightwood]

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and World Parkinson’s Day is on the 11th, which is James Parkinson’s birthday.

What should everyone know about Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s Awareness Month is the perfect time to brush up on your Parkinson’s facts. Here are 5 fast facts about PD:

Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Parkinson’s each year.

Scientists believe a combination of environmental and genetic factors cause PD.

People with Parkinson’s experience both movement and non-movement related symptoms.

Symptoms can be managed through treatments like medications, lifestyle changes, exercise and in some cases, surgery.

Early-onset Parkinson’s disease occurs in people younger than 50 years of age.

[Wrightwood]

Could it be Parkinson’s? What are the early signs?

It can be hard to tell if you or a loved one has Parkinson’s. PD is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. Symptoms generally develop slowly over years and the progression of symptoms is often different from one person to another.

Here are 10 early signs of Parkinson’s:
Tremors, often in the hands or fingers
Small handwriting
Loss of smell
Trouble sleeping
Trouble moving or walking, including stiffness and balance problems
Constipation
A soft or low voice
Facial Masking, meaning a reduction of facial expressions
Dizziness or fainting
Stooping or hunching over

No single one of these signs means that you should worry, but if you have more than one sign, consider making an appointment to talk to your doctor.

[Toolman]

I found a nice page for additional information. The families dealing with a loved one etc.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/parkinsons-awareness-month

[Wrightwood]

[Wrightwood]

Today is World Parkinson’s Day, which is James Parkinson’s birthday.
He was born April 11, 1755 and died December 21, 1824.