I’m not looking for a real medical assessment, I just want to satisfy my curiosity.
I have a coworker who has a medical problem. I don’t know him well, and from people I’ve talked to, they don’t know what his illness is either. It’s kind of awkward to ask, so I’m hoping people here can help me out
This coworker requires a cane to walk, slurs his speech, and kind of moves around while dragging his feet. His hands are curled inward; I’ve never seen him open them. His face kind of looks like it’s paralyzed, kind if he had Bells Palsy or something.
He can still drive, though I wonder how. He doesn’t move too fast on account of his halting, feet-dragging way of walking. From what information I can gather, he used to be fine, but years ago something happened that turned him into this condition
Could be sequaela from a stroke, but could also be from many other neurological conditions. I just posted this until one of our knowledgeable MD’s reply.
As barbitu8 said, it could be manifestations of a stroke. But, you seem to be describing features affecting both sides of his body. While bilateral problems can certainly occur from a stroke, it is less likely than if they were unilateral. So, perhaps he has multiple sclerosis (which can affect any and many parts of the brain and nervous system), but that’s somewhat uncommon.
Since his face sounds to be expressionless, he has problems walking (affecting both sides), and also slurs his speech, I’d say that Parkinson’s Disease is a real possibility. PD is very common, affecting around 0.5 to 1.0 percent of the adult population. The rate is even higher (maybe 5 percent) in the elderly (over 75ish). People with PD are often said to have “mask facies” or “mask like facies” meaning their face looks like a mask - the expression ‘never’ changes, or changes slowly, awkwardly, and incompletely.
There is a very distinctive ‘Parkinson’s gait’ which is practically diagnostic. You can actually find examples on YouTube by searching the term. There are other things that could cause some of the symptoms described, including MS, neuropathy, stroke, brain damage, or other types of neurological disease or damage.
Example of a Parkinsonian gait - somewhat exaggerated - some people may not be quite so shuffly- but it should give an idea of what’s typical.
Extrapyramidal symptoms of antipsychotics that were not treated quickly enough to stop them from becoming permanent? Was “the incident” from the past a trip to the local mental health facility?
This is only half-hearted, BTW… I’m not actually suggesting your coworker has a hx of psychosis or psychotic disorder. Unless I’m right.
More likely is that he’s still on them. Good thought Shelli (and, for all the non medical types looking in today, I will point out that many drugs like chlorpromazine, Haldol, and really all antipsychotic medications can cause someone to develop features of Parkinson’s Disease. When the drugs are stopped the symptoms (usually) clear up.)
The symptoms you describe remind me of a friend and former colleague who had a stroke, although his weren’t as previously mentioned, bilateral (most strokes will tend to be unilateral). My supposition would be that we’re looking at an indecipherable (unless, of course, you’re his doctor) “brain damage” type of situation.
Note that this likely in no way impairs his ability to think. My old friend/colleague was a spry thinker, who frequently hoodwinked me (25 years his junior). Dude has a memory like a genius-level elephant, and an almost absurd knack for wordplay. And could recount every dirty secret of all of the hundreds of people he’d ever worked with… an excellent ally, indeed…
Well, I was thinking the muscular dystrophy would explain the walking and the curled hands. I was thinking of poisoning causing neurotoxic symptoms that manifest in physical problems.
Does he kind of rub his fingers together with his thumb? That’s a Parkinson’s symptom as well. My high school boyfriend’s father had it, and that was a really noticeable symptom.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome. My former boss got this, entirely out of the blue, almost died and ended up behaving just how you describe. I had read the hilarious account by Joseph Heller of his case, No Laughing Matter.
Hm. Aside from the incident in his past that brought it all on, it sounds like rheumatoid arthritis to me. My uncle’s partner was in this state twenty years ago, including shuffling feet and curled-in hands. He’s in a chair, now.
From what I know of Parkinson’s (ie. Michael J. Fox), he doesn’t really shake much
He does, otherwise why would he still be employed and not at home on disability? He’s pushed carts around, slowly, and makes small deliveries. I’m still shocked he can drive
Well, disability doesn’t pay much, plus some employers, like govt. agencies, might allow non-working workers to stay on (shocking, I know)…I didn’t intend to sound mean about it or anything; just that from your description, it sounded like he was pretty messed up.
