Statistics on Parkinson’s Disease

Approximatel 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s  Disease each year.   Many are diagnosed before age 50.    Nearly a million people in the US are living with the disease today.

Below is a Parkinson’s early case recently published in the CSA Journal to help people be aware of early symptoms.

Case Report

A 77-year-old man comes into the office accompanied by his wife. Six months ago, he developed a “twitch” in his left hand mostly when his hand was resting on his lap. His wife states that when they hold hands while watching a movie or taking a walk around the park she will notice his hand shaking hers. He is right hand dominant therefore the “twitch” or tremor does not affect his daily activities.

His wife also has observed it takes him much longer to get out of the car. He tends to walk behind her and takes a little longer to catch up. He is much taller and she is used to looking up to him but has recently noticed that his head and neck is stooping forward. He chimes in, “she
is constantly telling me to pick my head up and stand up straight.” His wife also mentions that
she is having a harder time hearing him as his voice seems softer. The patient admitted that his friends have mentioned the same thing during their weekly poker game or while golfing.

He is overall in very good shape and is compliant with all of the recommendations of his primary care provider (PCP). He was surprised at the last visit, that his PCP referred him to see a neurologist. His PCP told him that he noticed a lack of arm swing on his left side which had not been evident at previous
visits.

The symptoms that stand out and contribute to the diagnosis include:
• Tremor at rest
• Slower movements and lack of arm swing
• Gait and posture changes
• Soft voice
• Symptoms predominantly affecting one side