Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes a gradual loss of muscle control. The disease is progressive, which means that the changes in the brain continues to worsen as times passes by. There is no cure for this disease, but there are many types of medicines that can treat its symptoms.
The 10 early warning signs of Parkinson’s disease are:
1st warning sign: Stiffness of arms and legs, shaking or tremors, slowness of movement. There is shaking of the legs when sitting down or relaxing.
2nd warning sign: Handwriting suddenly gets smaller than before.
3rd warning sign: Trouble smelling certain foods such as bananas or pickles.
4th warning sign: Trouble sleeping, kicking, punching or trashing around in bed.
5th warning sign: Trouble moving or walking, feeling stiff in the body, arms and legs and arms don’t swing while walking.
6th warning sign: Constipation, straining to move bowels everyday.
7th warning sign: Sounding soft or low voice even when speaking in a normal voice.
8th Warning sign: Face looks serious, depressed or mad when not in the mood; Having blank stares and not blinking often.
9th warning sign: Often feeling dizzy when standing up from sitting on a chair.
10th warning sign: Hunching or stooping; not standing up as straight as before; starting to stoop, lean unnaturally or slouch.
Being a caregiver means that you are not just providing care for your elderly patient but also carefully examining the signs that can prevent or treat the condition at an early stage. Note however, that having the above signs does not mean the elderly has Parkinson’s disease. If you notice any of the above signs, talk to your employer and seek medical attention.
