Case Report
A male patient aged about 61 years reported to the Outpatients’ Department (OPD) of Bengal Faith hospital. On examination he was found to have rigidity (cogwheel) of the limbs and had mild resting tremor. He came in a wheel chair as he stated of difficulty in walking. The patient was encouraged to get up from the wheel chair and was assisted to walk. When he was walking alone without support, it was observed that he was leaning forward and had short shuffling gait (see the video). He was normotensive and non-diabetic. A diagnosis of Parkinsonism was made. The patient was prescribed levodopa+ carbidopa combination. The condition of the patient is improving.
Parkinsonism is characterized by tremor, rigidity and poverty of volitional movement. The disease usually starts at the age of 60 or above. As the disease progresses, the patient may become depressed and dementia may create problem not only for the patient himself/herself but also for the care-giver who finds it difficult to manage the patient. The substantia nigra is depleted of pigmented dopaminergic neurons and Lewy body is present in Parkinsonism. Genetic factors may be present.
Link for the video: