Parkinson's Disease
The onset of Parkinson's disease is usually between the ages of 50 and 70. The difference in incidence between men and women is not statistically significant. While the symptoms are certainly troublesome and can eventually result in the total loss of mobility, death as a direct result of Parkinson's disease is uncommon and the life expectancy for a Parkinson's patient has over the last decade or so grown very close to that of the population in general.
The most common and usually first obvious symptom of Parkinson's disease is a tremor. The tremor is often observed in the hand and lower arm but tremors of the leg are also quite common. There is a large variation from patient to patient as to where in the body the tremor appears. Early in the disease process the tremor often decreases substantially with muscle activity. For example the tremor will often decrease or appear to go away when a patient reaches for an object. Once the hand is back at rest the tremor will return. It is also unusual to see any tremors during sleep.
The most common and usually first obvious symptom of Parkinson's disease is a tremor. The tremor is often observed in the hand and lower arm but tremors of the leg are also quite common. There is a large variation from patient to patient as to where in the body the tremor appears. Early in the disease process the tremor often decreases substantially with muscle activity. For example the tremor will often decrease or appear to go away when a patient reaches for an object. Once the hand is back at rest the tremor will return. It is also unusual to see any tremors during sleep.