Dry skin can be a of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease affects the nervous system, causing tremors, making voluntary movements more difficult and causing stiffness in the muscles. It is a degenerative disease and, as Health Communities remarks, the condition may develop over a period of several years or happen very quickly. Although the movement symptoms are the most obvious effects of Parkinson's, other secondary symptoms, such as dry skin, can also occur.
Identification
Dry skin is a secondary symptom of Parkinson's Disease. This means that not all Parkinson's suffers experience it, and the symptom will manifest differently from person to person. Dry skin can be caused by the condition itself or by the medications used to manage Parkinson's symptoms. Dry skin can manifest all over the body, while dermatitis might show up on the face or the scalp in the form of dandruff, says the Parkinson's Disease Society.
Causes
Dry skin associated with Parkinson's disease can be caused by several factors. According to the Parkinson's Disease Guide, the condition can affect the sweat glands, causing either too much sweat or not enough sweat to be produced. If the body produces too little sweat, this can cause dry skin. Drugs used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's, especially those with anticholinergics, may also reduce activity in the sweat glands, leading to dry skin.
Prevention/Solution
If the dry skin is caused by Parkinson's medication, it might be possible to reduce the dosage in order to alleviate this symptom. However, this must be done under the supervision of a physician and not alone. If the Parkinson's itself is causing dry skin, patients are advised to wear light, thin clothing, especially during the summer and drink lots of water to stay cool.
Considerations
If you are suffering from dry skin due to reduced perspiration, it is important to make sure you don't get too hot, advises the Parkinson's Disease Society. Perspiration is usually the body's way of cooling itself down, so if that natural mechanism is compromised, it's important to ensure that you take precautions. This involves wearing light clothing, not using antiperspirant and avoiding sports or places that are very hot, such as saunas.
Expert Insight
The Parkinson's Disease Society remarks on the need for anticholinergic dosages to be kept low during the summer. They also state that this kind of medication should be used in older Parkinson's sufferers with caution because of the potential side effects involved. As well as a reduction in the body's natural sweat production, these particular medicines can also cause the patient to become confused. If you are concerned about possible side effects from Parkinson's medications, it is important to consult your physician as soon as possible.
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