Health is Wealth

Sypmtoms

How Does Parkinson's Affect the Body?

The telltale symptoms all have to do with the way you move. You usually notice problems like:

Rigid muscles. It can happen on just about any part of your body. Doctors sometimes mistake early Parkinson's for arthritis.

Slow movements. You may find that even simple acts, like buttoning a shirt, take much longer than usual.

Tremors. Your hands, arms, legs, lips, jaw, or tongue are shaky when you're not using them.

Walking and balance problems. You may notice your arms aren't swinging as freely when you walk. Or you can't take long steps, so you have to shuffle instead.

What Causes Parkinson's?

Doctors aren't sure why all those brain cells start dying. They think it's a mix of your genes and something in the environment, but the reason is not straightforward.

Someone could have a change in a gene tied to Parkinson's, but never get the disease. That happens a lot. And a bunch of people could work side by side in a place with chemicals linked to Parkinson's, but only a few of them end up with it.

It's a complex puzzle, and scientists are still trying to put all the pieces together.