Parkinson's Disease Facts and Statistics
 

Parkinson's Disease or "shaking palsy" is a brain disorder that causes muscle tremor, stiffness, and weakness.

Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease include muscular stiffness, a tendency to tire more easily than usual, and trembling that usually begins with a slight tremor in one hand, arm, or leg. This trembling is worse when the body is at rest but will generally stop when the body is in use, for example when the hand becomes occupied by "pill-rolling" or rubbing the thumb and forefinger together as if rolling a pill the tremor will stop.

As the disease progresses drooling, loss of appetite, stiffness affecting both sides of the body, weakness, trembling muscles, a rigid posture, slow movements, a stooped, shuffling, unbalanced walk, constant trembling of the hands, head shaking, permanent rigid stoop, and an unblinking, fixed expression occur.

In the final stages of Parkinson's Disease one-third of sufferers will exhibit signs of dementia. Depression is also very common among those with Parkinson's Disease as they struggle to cope with the frustrating loss of control over their bodies and eventually over their lives In the later stages of Parkinson's disease the affected person loses the ability to control their movements, making everyday activities hard to manage, and the intellect begins to be affected by the disease.

The disease runs an average ten year course and ultimately results in death usually by an infection or aspiration pneumonia.