Parkinsons Disease : Symptoms

Healthline's Premium Tools

Pill Finder
Search by color, shape and markings. click here
Drug Interaction Checker
Check any 2 drugs for interactions. click here
Drug Compare
Compare any two drugs side by side. click here
Healthline Part D Plan Selector Medicare Part D
Medicare's drug plans are subsidized by the US federal government and offered through insurers.
Advertisement
Marketplace
Symptoms could include:
Unstable, stooped, or slumped-over posture; Loss of balance; Gait (walking pattern) changes; Shuffling walk; Slow movements; Small steps followed by the need to run to maintain balance; Freezing of movement when the movement is stopped, inability ...
Source:ADAM
Date:May 10, 2007
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a motor system disorder caused by the chronic, progressive degeneration of neurons (nerve cells) in regions of the brain that control movement. PD causes a decline in the initiation, speed, and smoothness of movement. O...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder marked by tremors, rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and postural instability. It occurs when, for unknown reasons, cells in one of the movement-control centers of the brain begin ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder marked by tremors, rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and posture instability. It occurs when cells in one of the movement-control centers of the brain begin to die for unknown reason...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part I
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes slowed movements, tremor, rigidity, and a wide variety of other symptoms. "Neurodegenerative" refers to the degeneration, or death, of neurons, the type of cell in the brain that...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder marked by tremors, rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and posture instability. It occurs when cells in one of the movement-control centers of the brain begin to die for unknown reason...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part II
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder marked by tremors , rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and posture instability. It occurs when cells in one of the movement-control centers of the brain begin to die for unknown rea...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Aimless movements can be a symptom of a primary or secondary movement disorder, side effect of a medication, psychiatric disturbance or dementia. Aimless or purposeless movement is therefore a significant symptom requiring evaluation by a physician to determine the origin of the problem.
Source:HealthLine
Date:November 30, 2007
Decreased consciousness is reduced alertness or awareness.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 6, 2007
Catatonia is a disturbance of motor behavior that can have either a psychological or neurological cause. Its most well-known form involves a rigid, immobile position that is held by a person for a considerable length of time- often days, weeks, or longer.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Catatonia is a condition marked by changes in muscle tone or activity associated with a large number of serious mental and physical illnesses. There are two distinct sets of symptoms that are characteristic of this condition.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Bowel movements normally occur at approximately the same time each day. The feces (stool) itself should be soft enough that it can be passed without straining.
Source:HealthLine
Date:September 30, 2007
Choking sends thousands of infants and toddlers to emergency rooms each year, and food often plays a part.
Source:StayWell
One minute you and your child are laughing at the dinner table. The next minute the child is choking. Here's what you should do.
Source:StayWell
Choking is when someone can't breathe because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the airway (throat or windpipe.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 16, 2007
Choking is a condition caused by inhalation of a foreign object that partially or fully blocks the airway. Choking is a major cause of respiratory emergencies and cardiac arrest in infants and children.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
This is an extreme medical emergency. Knowing what to do can help save your baby's life.
Source:StayWell
Blockage of the throat or windpipe by an object. Choking is a major cause of death for children under three, and is a hazard for older children as well.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Although people know toys can be dangerous, injuries can still occur.
Source:StayWell
Choking is the inability to breathe because the trachea is blocked, constricted, or swollen shut. Choking is a medical emergency.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
First Aid: ChokingCall 911 if the victim loses consciousness.Choking occurs when the airway to the lungs becomes blocked, placing the victim's life in danger. Start rescue techniquesright away.1Identify ChokingLook for a hand raised to the throat,...
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on choking, choking prevention, and the Heimlick maneuver
Source:StayWell
If a person who is choking is still able to speak, their airway does not have a significant obstruction, so the Heimlich maneuver should not be performed.
Source:StayWell
Constipation refers to infrequent or hard stools, or difficulty passing stools. Constipation may involve pain during the passage of a bowel movement, inability to pass a bowel movement after straining or pushing for more than 10 minutes, or no bowel movements after more than 3 days. Infants who are still exclusively breastfed may go 7 days without a stool.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 3, 2007
Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Bowel habits vary, but an adult who has not had a bowel movement in three days or a child who has not had a bowel movement in four days is considered constipated.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Detailed information on constipation, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Contrary to popular myth, it is not necessary for you to be "regular" (have daily bowel movements) for your bowel pattern to be normal. If your bowel movements are so infrequent that they cause you discomfort, or if bowel movements are an effort for you, then you are experiencing constipation.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on constipation, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Oncology: Controlling ConstipationConstipation(difficulty passing stool) is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Constipation can be caused by the medications you are taking.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on constipation, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on constipation, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Although constipation is a relative term, with normal patterns of bowel movements varying widely from person to person, generally an adult who has not had a bowel movement in three days or a child who has not had a bowel movement in four days is considered constipated.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Difficulty with producing a bowel movement, or infrequent bowel movements. Constipation, a condition that can affect the human digestive system at any stage of life, is rarely serious or chronic.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
ConstipationSymptom and DescriptionConstipation means being unable to move your bowels, having to push harder to move your bowels, or moving them less often than usual. Bowel movements will be small, dry, and hard.
Source:StayWell
Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Bowel habits vary, but an adult who has not had a bowel movement in three days or a child who has not had a bowel movement in four days is considered constipated.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Lots of children suffer from constipation -- bowel movements that are hard or painful. Your child may become constipated because of toilet-training troubles or anxiety related to using the toilet. Or, he may not be getting enough fiber or liquids in his diet or may not be getting enough exercise.
Source:StayWell
Many parents worry that their baby is constipated, which can happen for many reasons. Sometimes, however, babies are not really constipated, but just have their own way of pooping.
Source:StayWell
Colds usually are mild illnesses that get better within one or two weeks. However, even mild symptoms can make children feel miserable.
Source:StayWell
The most common beliefs about alleviating constipation may be myths, say some experts.
Source:StayWell
What's the best way to relieve constipation in babies? Claire McCarthy, M.D., is a senior medical editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is an instructor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, an attending physician at Children's Hospital of Boston, and co-director of the pediatrics department at Martha Eliot Health Center, a neighborhood health service of Children's Hospital. The author of two books, "Learning How the Heart Beats" and "Everyone's Children", Dr. McCarthy was a regular columnist for "Sesame Street Parents Magazine" from 1995 to 1998 and is currently a contributing editor for "Parenting Magazine".
Source:StayWell
I am suffering from constipation. Dulcolax works, but it cannot be taken too often. Could you suggest a better, non-habit-forming medicine?
Source:StayWell
Why does taking iron cause you to be constipated? Mary Pickett, M.D., is a lecturer for Harvard Medical School and an assistant professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR. At OHSU, she practices general internal medicine and teaches medical residents and students.
Source:StayWell
Uncoordinated movement is an abnormality of muscle control or an inability to finely coordinate movements, resulting in a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fro motion of the trunk or the limbs.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 5, 2007
Ataxia, a medical term originated from the Greek language meaning " without order, " refers to disturbances in the control of body posture, motor coordination, speech control, and eye movements. Several brain areas, including the cerebellum and the spinocerebellar tracts, substantia nigra, pons, and cerebral cortex control these functions.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Detailed information on ataxia, including sporadic ataxia and the hereditary ataxias
Source:StayWell
Lack of coordination in the muscles. Ataxia, an extreme lack of coordination of the muscles, is a symptom of damage to the central nervous system.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Developmental coordination disorder is diagnosed when children do not develop normal motor coordination (coordination of movements involving the voluntary muscles). Developmental coordination disorder has been known by many other names, some of which are still used today.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 13, 2008
This report is an important reference tool for patients and caregivers alike. Offers information on the symptoms, causes, and treatments for this debilitating condition, as well as caregiving tips.
Source:StayWell
Many older adults are healthy, active, and alert. But sometimes older people become confused and forgetful. They can also seem anxious, depressed, or withdrawn. These changes may be the result of a primary dementia.
Source:StayWell
As we age, we face an increased risk of diminished mental capacity. But a combination of continued mental stimulation, proper diet and attention to health matters, and physical activity can help ward off mental problems.
Source:StayWell
Second-generation antipsychotic drugs are sometimes being used to treat dementia in the elderly, but the potential side effects and other risks outweight the benefits in many instances.
Source:StayWell
Research suggests that people with more active brains are less susceptible to dementia. It may be that their brains perform mental tasks more efficiently, thus creating a reserve of brain capacity.
Source:StayWell
HDL, the "good" cholesterol, helps prevent heart disease, but there is some evidence that suggests it may also help protect against strokes, and possibly dementia as well.
Source:StayWell
Dementia is a condition characterized by a progressive, irreversible decline in mental ability, accompanied by changes in behavior and personality. There is commonly a loss of memory and skills that are required to carry out activities of daily living.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
The term dementia refers to symptoms, including changes in memory, personality, and behavior, that result from a change in the functioning of the brain. These declining changes are severe enough to impair the ability of a person to perform a function or to interact socially.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Dementia is not a specific disorder or disease. It is a syndrome (group of symptoms) associated with a progressive loss of memory and other intellectual functions that is serious enough to interfere with performing the tasks of daily life.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Dementia is a loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living, lasting more than six months, not present since birth, and not associated with a loss or alteration of consciousness. Dementia is a group of symptoms caused by gradual death of brain cells.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Dementia is not a specific disorder or disease. It is a syndrome (group of symptoms) associated with a progressive loss of memory and other intellectual functions that is serious enough to interfere with the tasks of daily life.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part II
Dementia is not a specific disorder or disease. It is a syndrome (group of symptoms) associated with a progressive loss of memory and other intellectual functions that is serious enough to interfere with the tasks of daily life.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part I
Dementia is a loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living, lasting more than six months, not present since birth, and not associated with a loss or alteration of consciousness. Dementia is a group of symptoms caused by gradual death of brain cells.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Dementia is a condition characterized by a chronic decline in cognitive functions contrasted with a person ' s usual state of functioning. It is seen most often in people sixty-five years and older, and the incidence increases with age.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health
Detailed information on depression and depression in women, including types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Everybody feels sad sometimes, but to be clinically depressed is not just a matter of feeling sad. A patient with cancer is diagnosed as having major depression only if certain symptoms, such as loss of pleasure or thoughts of death, are present for at least two weeks.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Depression is the general name for a family of illnesses known as depressive disorders. Depression is an illness that affects not only the mood and thoughts, but also the physical functions of affected individuals.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part I
Depression is the general name for a family of illnesses known as depressive disorders. Depression is an illness that affects not only the mood and thoughts, but also the physical functions of affected individuals.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part II
A depressive disorder is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) as an illness that involves the body, mood and thoughts. It encompasses feelings of overwhelming sadness and despair that persist or intensify over time.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Depression or depressive disorders (unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a common accompaniment.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Depression or depressive disorders (unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a common accompaniment.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Depression and depressive disorders (unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that once were pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep , appetite, and mental processes are common symptoms of depression.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
An emotional state or mood characterized by one or more of these symptoms: sad mood, low energy, poor concentration, sleep or appetite changes, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, and thoughts of suicide. Until recently, it was thought that children and adolescents could not suffer from clinical depression.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of time. See also: Adolescent depression; Depression in the elderly.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 28, 2008
Depression, also known as depressive disorders or unipolar depression, is a mental illness characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that once were pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a common accompaniment.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
This report offers in-depth information on the causes of depression and the treatments and medications that can lift your mood.
Source:StayWell
It's important not to underestimate the dangers associated with depression, especially if you've had multiple episodes or lingering symptoms. For example, people who don't get treated for their depression have a higher risk for suicide.
Source:StayWell
People who are depressed have a cluster of symptoms characterized by sadness and a profound lack of energy and well-being.
Source:StayWell
Depression is a complicated and common mental health condition that affects about 10 to 15 percent of Americans. The following questions and answers can help you recognize and get effective treatment for depression.
Source:StayWell
The analysis of more than 15,000 young people in the United States found about a third of the cases of depression and obesity among those teens could be attributed to being from families with low incomes.
Source:StayWell
Men suffer from depression in smaller numbers than women do, but their treatment needs differ due to responses to medication, especially in older men. Additional medication may be necessary to treat the sexual side effects.
Source:StayWell
In general, only about three percent of the elderly living independently in the community will experience depression. That figure increases to around 20 to 30 percent of persons in nursing homes or with chronic illnesses like emphysema, heart disease or diabetes.
Source:StayWell
Learning more about this illness will allow you to understand what your symptoms may mean and make it easier for you to seek help.
Source:StayWell
In elderly patients, symptoms of depression can be mistaken for symptoms of another medical problem, so it is important for clinicians to consider all physical problems and medications of elderly patients before making a diagnosis.
Source:StayWell
Many people with depression do not receive adequate medical treatment, and even if they are treated, doctors may not be paying enough attention to their patients' needs.
Source:StayWell
A woman’s unique biological, social, and cultural factors may increase her risk for depression.
Source:StayWell
Too often, parents miss the signs of depression. Or, they believe their teen will “snap out of it” eventually.
Source:StayWell
Depression is not "all in your head." It is a real illness that saps your energy. It can leave you feeling sad, hopeless, lonely and guilty. It is related to a chemical imbalance in the brain and to certain traits such as low self-esteem and pessimism. Some kinds of depression may be inherited.
Source:StayWell
Everyone feels down at times, but diabetics are especially prone to depression. An unhappy period that’s intense or lasts for more than a couple of weeks can be a sign of depression. Depression is a serious illness.
Source:StayWell
Studies of a link between depression and osteoporosis suggest the bone deterioration could be a result of the depression, or may be caused by taking antidepressant medications for a long period of time.
Source:StayWell
Studies suggest mental health care following a heart attack can improve patient health and mortality.
Source:StayWell
Seasonal affective disorder is thought to be caused by decreased exposure to sunlight during the winter months. Light therapy helps some people, and the FDA has approved the antidepressant bupropion for treatment as well.
Source:StayWell
Depression can often develop as a result of a heart attack or cardiac surgery, and has more serious effects on heart health and overall health than depression that was present before a heart attack.
Source:StayWell
The mind and the body are intimately connected, and our overall health depends on both working well. This is most evident in depression: Research shows that people who suffer from clinical depression face a higher risk of contracting one of the stress-linked illnesses than the rest of the population.
Source:StayWell
Exposure to the right kind of light may go a long way toward reducing seasonal affective disorder symptoms.
Source:StayWell
A roundup of studies exploring the beneficial effects of exercise on depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Is it a case of the chicken and the egg?
Source:StayWell