Parkinsons Awareness Walk: Stepping together for a brighter future

To help communities become more aware of the disease, the month of April has been declared Parkinson’s Awareness Month and the Lavaca Medical Center Physical and Occupational Therapy department will host its 2nd annual Parkinson’s Awareness Walk tomorrow (Thursday).

The event will take place at the LMC Walking Trail located at the hospital from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m and no registration is required to participate.

Door prizes will be awarded and the PT department asked those attending to bring a friend.

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive brain disorder that causes loss of muscle control and every six minutes an individual is diagnosed with the condition in the United States.

The disease affects the nervous system, a network of nerve cells that control many parts of the body, including movement.

The Mayo Clinic website list symptoms that may include:

• Tremor – a rhythmic shaking usually begins in the hands or fingers.

• Slowed movement – slow movement makes simple tasks difficult.

• Rigid muscles – the individual may have stiff muscles in any part of the body.

• Poor posture and balance – the person may become stooped and fall due to balance problems.

• Loss of automatic movements – the person may be less able to make typical movements including blinking, smiling or swinging the hands when walking.

• Speech changes – the person may speak softly or quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Speech may be monotone or without typical speech patterns.

• Writing changes – the person may have trouble writing, or the writing may appear cramped and small.

• Non-motor symptoms – may include depression, anxiety, constipation, and sleep problems.