What is Parkinson's disease? What are the symptoms?

Parkinson's disease is a disease that is more common among the elderly. In recent years, it has been found that the onset of this disease has been getting younger. Some young friends have also been troubled and harmed by Parkinson's disease. So, what exactly is Parkinson's disease? What are its symptoms?

1. Muscle stiffness: The tension of both extensor and flexor muscles increases, and there is a gear-like or lead-pipe-like resistance feeling during passive movement, which are called gear-like stiffness or lead-pipe stiffness respectively.

2. Posture and gait: The face is stiff, like a mask; the head is tilted forward, the trunk is bent forward, and the elbows and knees are slightly bent; the walking steps are small, slow at first, and then faster and faster, with a panic gait, and the upper limbs do not swing back and forth.

3. Easily excitable, with occasional paroxysmal impulsive behavior; increased secretion of sweat, saliva, sebaceous gland fluid, etc.; decreased dopamine and its metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and urine.

4. Tremors are more common in the head and limbs, and are most obvious in the hands. The fingers show coarse rhythmic tremors (pill-rolling-like movements). Tremors often occur at rest in the early stages, disappear during voluntary movements and sleep, and worsen when emotionally excited. Tremors in the late stages may be persistent.

5. Movement disorders are related to muscle stiffness. For example, stiffness of the vocal muscles causes difficulty in pronunciation, and stiffness of the finger muscles makes it impossible to take care of oneself in daily life.