Your Health

Know The Early Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease

Posted 1/21/2011

Call the new NPF Helpline 1-800-4PD-INFO for answers about Parkinson’s disease.

(NAPSI) - Help and hope may be at hand for many of the more than 60,000 people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the U.S. this year, as well as the 1 million already living with it.

The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) has launched the first bilingual, English and Spanish, PD toll-free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).

“You don’t have to face Parkinson’s alone,” says NPF President and CEO Joyce Oberdorf. “Wherever you live, you can get the help you need.”

NPF is also offering a new, free brochure, “10 Early Warning Signs of Parkinson’s Disease.” A few include:

• Trouble moving or walking

• Tremor or shaking at rest

• Loss of the sense of smell

• An unusually soft or low voice

• Dizziness or fainting

If you have such symptoms, see a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in the brain. A team of specialists can develop a plan which may delay further symptoms.

The Helpline, with support from the Medtronic Foundation, is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET). People may also send questions about PD to helpline@parkinson.org. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org/helpline.