There are four main symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.  They are:  · Tremor (Shaking)  · Rigidity (Stiffness)  · Bradykinesia (Slowness)  · Postural Instability (Unsteadiness) 1.  Tremor (Shaking)  Tremor is also called Resting Tremor because it’s most noticeable when the client is at rest.     It usually begins with the hands and feet, but can affect the head, neck, face, tongue, lips, and jaw.     The shaking or trembling is at a regular beat of around four to six beats every second.  It may happen only on one side of the body or it could be worse on just one side depending on the time of day.     Stress can make it worse. 2.  Rigidity (Stiffness)  Rigidity is a stiffness or an ache in the muscles.   The muscles are always tense and it gets worse with movement.     This happens to all the voluntary muscles.  So, it’s hard for a PD client to move their arms, and legs.  Their arms don’t swing when they walk.     Parkinson’s clients can have trouble with breathing, eating, swallowing, and speech, too.     The face loses expression and becomes “mask- like”.  The eyes don’t blink as often, and it’s hard to smile. 3.  Bradykinesia (Slowness)  This symptom is about slow movement.     It’s very frustrating for people with PD because it takes them a very long time to do routine things like walking, bathing, eating, and dressing.     They move in slow motion.  And to make it worse, they never know when it will happen.   One minute they seem to be moving fine and the next minute they aren’t. 4.  Postural Instability (Unsteadiness)  This term means loss of balance or unsteadiness.     People with Parkinson’s Disease lose their coordination and fall down easily.     They tend to lean forward or backward especially when they walk.  They tend to have poor posture and can have droopy shoulders and a lowered head.   Main Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease In the Know Page 5     © 2000 In the Know, Inc. Everyday tasks such as dressing and bathing can take several hours! A REMINDER As you work with PD clients, always remember to report any changes in symptoms  to your supervisor!  Even something very minor like slurring of words can be very, very important.