Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition. People with
Parkinson's do not have enough of a chemical called dopamine
because some nerve cells in their brain have died. Without
dopamine people can find that their movements become slower
so it takes longer to do things. The loss of nerve cells in the
brain causes the symptoms of Parkinson's to appear.
Incidence of Parkinson’s increases with age, but an estimated
four percent of people with PD are diagnosed before the age of
50. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's and we don't yet
know why people get the condition. Parkinson's does not
directly cause people to die, but symptoms do get worse over
time.
The following are features that are associated with Parkinson’s.
• Tremor of the limbs • Slowed movement
• Speech changes • Thinking difficulties
• Depression and anxiety • Stooped posture and poor balance
• Stiff muscles • Swallowing problems
• Sleep problems • Loss of facial expression
• Bladder problems • Smell problems
• Writing changes • Constipation
• Weight loss • Unexplained fatigue
• Sexual dysfunction • Blood pressure issues
