{"id":5416,"date":"2019-04-08T08:11:03","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T08:11:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=5416"},"modified":"2021-03-30T15:51:49","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T15:51:49","slug":"14-known-symptoms-of-huntingtons-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-known-symptoms-of-huntingtons-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Known Symptoms of Huntington\u2019s Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Huntington\u2019s disease is when there is a breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Symptoms for the disease usually occurs in a person\u2019s 30s or 40s but can occur at a much younger age. When this happens, it is called juvenile Huntington\u2019s disease. The disease causes impairment in a person\u2019s ability to function like a normal person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will have cognitive, psychiatric, thinking, and movement disorders. With juvenile Huntington\u2019s disease, the symptoms occur much faster and differently. There are medications available to help manage the disease, but there is nothing to cure it. If you happen to know someone who could have Huntington\u2019s disease there are some symptoms you will want to look out for. There are eight known symptoms of Huntington\u2019s disease that you should be aware of. The symptoms differ for every person affected by the disease. Some people may not experience the symptoms in the exact same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Involuntary jerking movements <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

are one of the known symptoms of Huntington\u2019s disease<\/a>. A person may not notice it in the beginning, but when it happens often, that\u2019s when medical attention needs to be sought. There could be an underlying disease that could be triggering the movement. Other people around the person with Huntington\u2019s disease may not understand why they are jerking all of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people are uneducated about the disease and don\u2019t realize it\u2019s something you can\u2019t control. You may still be able to do your normal daily activities and work, but when you start jerking, you will have to stop what you\u2019re doing to be safe. A person may not want to operate a motor vehicle with this condition since the jerking can happen at any time. Once you get treated for Huntington\u2019s disease, the jerking may not occur as often because the medicine will relax the muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Slow in finding <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

the right words and processing his or her thoughts are another symptom<\/a>. With Huntington\u2019s disease, when you talk to the person, it will take them longer to process what you\u2019re saying. You have to be patient with them. The person is going to give you an answer, it just takes them a bit longer. It may become frustrating for the person with the disease because he or she wants to respond, but can\u2019t like normal people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A speech therapist may be helpful for a person suffering from this disease. It won\u2019t cure them, but it can help them to feel more confident in speaking even if it does take them longer to respond. A person suffering from Huntington\u2019s disease with this symptom does well with people who are compassionate. They don\u2019t need to be around people who will make them feel bad about themselves. They already have it hard enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Social withdrawal <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

is a known symptom of the disease. A lot of people suffer from social anxiety <\/a>and don\u2019t have Huntington\u2019s disease, so this symptom may cause people to think the person is having other issues in his or her life. When a person is diagnosed with social withdrawal, he or she may be given an anti-depressant. The anti-depressant won\u2019t do anything when the disease is present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other tests need to be taken to see if Huntington\u2019s disease is present. A lot of people are misdiagnosed when it comes to different conditions because the symptoms for one condition is similar to another one. When a person with Huntington\u2019s disease is going through social withdrawal, he or she won\u2019t want to be near anyone. The person may even avoid going to work and being around friends and family. When you go to visit him or her, the person may not even go to the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Difficulty walking <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

can cause Huntington\u2019s disease. When the person does walk, he or she may be slumped over. In order for individuals with Huntington\u2019s disease to walk, they will need a walker, cane, or wheelchair. It will be difficult for them to work, especially if they have to be on their feet all day. They may be able to have an office job, but even with an office job you still have to get up to go from one area to another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hobbies that the person once had are limited because of their mobility <\/a>issues. Someone who was physically active and end up with Huntington\u2019s disease may become depressed. The person feels as if their life is over because they\u2019re unable to do workout life he or she used to. When a person is suffering from Huntington\u2019s disease, a support team is the best medicine to help them get through life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Sadness and irritable feelings <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

can occur with Huntington\u2019s disease. The person may already be experiencing other symptoms, which is impairing their ability to do things on his or her own. It is known for a person to feel sad and irritable when he or she is going through this disease. You may be there to support them through their journey, but it may not be enough for that person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of the times people who have been independent most of their adult lives don\u2019t know how to let go and will become irritable <\/a>towards anyone who tries to help them. Individuals suffering from Huntington\u2019s disease need to have not only supportive family and friends but a mental health therapist. People are more likely to open up more with strangers than with people they know. The therapist\u2019s goal is to help the person deal with his or her disease, so normal life can be achieved as best as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Sexual promiscuity <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

can occur when you have Huntington\u2019s disease. The person doesn\u2019t care who he or she is sexually involved with. This can lead to unwanted STDs <\/a>and pregnancies in addition to dealing with Huntington\u2019s disease. Even if someone close to the person suffering talks to him or her, they won\u2019t pay any attention to what is being said to them. He or she will continue to do what they want because it\u2019s exciting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a good idea to have the person speak with a psychiatrist who can give the person the skills to handle his or her life better. It\u2019s not good to have different sexual partners at any time, but it will get more complicated when dealing with Huntington\u2019s disease. You want to get a handle on one disease, not a whole bunch of them. If a woman happens to become pregnant, she could have complications during delivery because of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Behavioral changes <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

occur in young adults who happen to get Huntington\u2019s disease. Some behavioral issues<\/a> they will face are having low grades in school, unable to remember skills learned at school and behavior problems. The child may become so bad at school that the teachers and counselors will give up on him or her. This can cause the child to drop out of school and act out in and outside of the home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you know that your child has juvenile Huntington\u2019s disease, you can start the process of getting the right treatment, so everyone can move on with their lives. The young adult will need additional support besides medication. Some additional support services include a mentor, community service, and counseling. After the young adult gets a handle on their condition, he or she may be able to go back to school and\/or get a job to better themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Fine motor skills <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

will become affected by Huntington\u2019s disease. One fine motor skill that is affected is their handwriting. It will become difficult for him or her to hold pencils and pens in their hands. When they do write anything, their handwriting will be sloppy and difficult to understand. In order to improve their handwriting, it may be a good idea to do hand exercises <\/a>with him or her to relax the hand muscles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may not completely make them write like a pro, but it could help him or her to be able to write a little bit better. A person suffering from Huntington\u2019s disease is unable to have an office job. They would do better to have a job that is hands-on. Huntington\u2019s disease doesn\u2019t stop a person from having a normal life. They are limited in what they can do, but life still goes on for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9.    Difficulty Learning New Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who are suffering from the effects of Huntington\u2019s disease may start to experience issues with cognitive <\/a>functions in the brain. As a result, they may find that they have difficulty learning new information, or completing tasks that involve memory recall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cerebrum is the large, outer part of the brain responsible for controlling thinking, reading, speech, emotions, movements like walking, and learning capacity. Huntington\u2019s disease attacks this part of the brain, resulting in the patient slowly losing their cognitive abilities over a period of 6-months to 5-years depending on the intensity and progression of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cerebrum consists of the left and right hemispheres of the brain, with the right hemisphere controlling the left side of the body and vice versa. Each side of the brain contains four regions known as the \u201clobes.\u201d When the frontal lobe experiences dysfunction due to Huntington\u2019s disease, the patient may find that they have issues with reasoning, decision-making and retaining new information.
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10.    Slow or Abnormal Eye Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the telltale signs of Huntington\u2019s disease \u2013 is abnormal or slow eye movement. Patients with Huntington\u2019s may find that they have trouble keeping their eyes open. As a result, they may take on the appearance of squinting all of the time. The patient may also have issues with tracking objects with their eyes as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This symptom occurs due to the disease spreading to the brain stem, where it starts to cause dysfunction in the areas of the brain responsible for automatic breathing and eye movements. Should the patient notice this symptom, they should seek immediate medical treatment as the disease could put the cardiovascular system at risk in the future, resulting in the patient requiring the use of a ventilator to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The brain stem connects the spinal cord and the cerebrum, and it includes areas of the brain such as the pons, the medulla, and the mid-brain. Along with the vision issues, the patient may find that they are unable to stabilize their mood, and they may often start to experience the onset of malaise<\/a>.
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11.    Malaise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Malaise describes a condition where the patient starts to develop an unknown feeling of dread about their situation. Medical science is still at a loss to explain the mechanism that causes malaise. However, the effects on the mental health<\/a> of the patient can be devastating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malaise causes the patient to develop depression, as well as feelings of uncertainty and fear. These feelings typically occur due to the patient worrying about their health in the future. Patients with Huntington\u2019s who remain undiagnosed may start to notice the symptoms of the disease, not knowing what is causing the condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should they remain undiagnosed, the feelings of uncertainty and fear continue to escalate, leading to panic attacks, furthering the effects of depression. Once the patient receives a diagnosis and a treatment plan, they typically notice the feeling of malaise start to dissipate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no apparent reason as to why patients develop malaise, but it\u2019s thought that the uncertainty of the outcome from their physical condition induces these feelings in the patient.
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12.    Loss of Balance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with the effects of Huntington\u2019s disease may notice that they start to develop issues with their balance and coordination. As a result, they may find that they begin to develop vertigo<\/a>, a condition where they feel like the room is spinning, even when seated or lying down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of vertigo are most intense in the first few hours after waking up in the morning. The patient may find that they need to wear dark sunglasses to block out the light, and some may gain some benefit from lying down on a bed in a darkened room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These symptoms of confusion, discoordination, and a loss of balance occur due to the disease spreading to the cerebellum in the brain. The cerebellum, found at the back of the brain, is responsible for controlling fine motor skills, such as walking or running, as well as maintaining balance and coordination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13.    Fatigue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the more common symptoms associated with Huntington\u2019s disease \u2013 is fatigue<\/a>. Fatigue occurs due to the body\u2019s inability to clear the toxins in the brain accumulated during waking hours. When we sleep, the brain removes toxins from neural pathways, allowing you to wake up the following morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the challenges of the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, patients with Huntington\u2019s don\u2019t experience this same clearing of toxins in the brain, resulting in them feeling sluggish and fatigued the following day.  Some patients may find it hard to fall asleep and may develop symptoms of insomnia that exacerbate their current condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients dealing with symptoms of extreme fatigue should do all they can to change their diet and improve their health. Drink more water throughout the day and avoid refined carbohydrates that induce systemic inflammation in the digestive system. This systemic inflammation spreads to the brain where it exacerbates the symptoms of fatigue and confusion.
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14.    Complications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since Huntington\u2019s disease affects the normal function of the brain<\/a>, it can produce numerous complexities of the disease and its effect on the body and mind. Many patients find that they start to develop mental health disorders as a result of an imbalance in the brain. Common mental health disorders that occur due to the development of Huntington\u2019s include;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OCD – Obsessive-compulsive disorder, where the patient may experience recurrent intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviors \u2013 such as pulling on the door handle multiple times before opening the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depression \u2013 A condition where the patient starts to enter a state of negative emotions which may lead to thoughts of suicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bipolar disorder \u2013The patient may experience periods of depression followed by periods of elation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mania \u2013 Leading to the development of risky and impulsive behavior which may put the patient in danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients with Huntington\u2019s may also experience rapid weight loss as well.
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