Non Motor Symptoms

Postural Hypotension

Feeling of lightheadedness and dizziness due to sudden drop in blood pressure is postural hypotension. It happens normally during sudden change of position for e.g. sleeping to sitting. Best way to handle it is lying down with legs elevated, having a glass of water, and holding tight fists. Please seek medical advice if not recovered by these measures.

Sleep Disturbances

People with Parkinson’s face lack of sleep(insomnia). They find difficulty in falling asleep due to stress, anxiety and depression. Sleep might also be disturbed with frequent awakening because of the urge to urinate(nocturia), vivid dreams, hallucinations, other mot or complications like difficulty while moving in bed, pain, cramps and rigidity. Patients face daytime drowsiness; energy levels are low which leads to less productive day. Home modifications or behavioral therapy can be helpful.

Psychological Disturbances

Dementia, anxiety, depression, stress, sleep disturbances, hallucinations are various non-motor symptoms which are found in PD.

Cognitive impairment

MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI) has been diagnosed in major cases of Parkinson’s, from which patients have probability of getting progressed to dementia known as Parkinson’s disease Dementia (PDD).

What all does Cognitive Impairment affect:

1. Attention and memory.
2. Visuo-spatial functioning: direction- finding, judging depth and distance.
3. Executive functioning: planning and decision making.
4. Language: Sentence comprehension and naming difficulty
5. Walking and balance
6. Freezing episodes while walking
7. Dual tasking like walking and speaking on the phone.

Brain challenging activities, reading, doing some exercise and solving puzzles are some ways to keep the impairment at bay.

Constipation, Bladder dysfunction, loss of taste and smell, sexual dysfunction, sweating, gastric reflux are a few more symptoms which are found in Parkinson’s disease.