Symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Submitted by Emma Hamilton on Tue, 23/03/2010 - 10:43am

Symptoms of Parkinson's disease can vary and the rate of progression of the disease will differ from person to person.

Symptoms of Parkinson's disease may be mild at first affecting one or both sides of the body.

As the disease progresses it can start to interfere with daily activities. Some people experience symptoms of Parkinson's disease for many years before a diagnosis is made.

Common signs of Parkinson's disease

The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease include tremor, rigidity, poor balance and slow movements (bradykinesia). Tremor is a common symptom prompting people to see their doctor.

Tremor
A slow tremor of the hands or fingers can occur particularly when resting. People with tremor can have problems holding utensils or reading the paper. "Resting tremor" with Parkinson’s disease normally affects one side of the body.

Rigidity
People with Parkinson’s disease can become very stiff in their movements causing problems walking or shuffling and difficulty turning. Rigidity can cause "freezing" when the muscles freeze up and the person feels they are unable to move such as when they are about to walk or stand up. Rigidity can lead to pain and problems sleeping.

Slow movements (bradykinesia)
Bradykinesia is when the movements become slow and restricted. A person will have trouble initiating and undertaking movements or a sudden stopping of ongoing movement. This can make it hard to do every day things like getting dressed or cooking meals. Bowel and bladder problems can also occur including constipation or incontinence.

Loss of automatic movements
Spontaneous movements such as swinging the arms when walking, blinking or making facial gestures or movements can be lost. Some people develop a fixed or mask like expression on their face.

Impaired balance and posture
Impaired balance and lack of coordination can increase the likelihood of falls in people with Parkinson's disease. A person can ‘freeze' during a movement and have difficulty sitting, turning or walking. A person with Parkinson’s disease will often shuffle when walking and be stooped over in appearance.

Impaired speech
At some point speech will be affected. Speech can become slurred, difficult to understand, soft or monotonous.

Difficulty swallowing
Problems swallowing can occur later in the disease as slow, stiff and uncoordinated movements may impair chewing and swallowing. People with Parkinson’s disease can have problems drooling.

Cognitive problems and dementia
People with Parkinson’s disease can have difficulties with memory, slowed thought processes or reduced capacity to reason in the early stages of the disease. A small percentage of people develop dementia associated with Parkinson's disease in the later stages.

Depression and anxiety
Depression and anxiety are common in people with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson’s disease can understandably make people anxious and worried about the future. Physical changes in the brain can also cause depression.

Signs of depression can often be difficult to detect such as lack of initiative, poor concentration and lethargy. Depression needs to be treated as it can have a major impact on a person’s wellbeing and how they cope with the daily challenges of Parkinson’s disease.

People with signs of Parkinson's disease should always see their doctor.

Diagnosing Parkinson's disease

References

Parkinson's NSW
Symptoms and complications
Accessed 22/03/10

NIH Senior Health
Parkinson's disease- Symptoms and Diagnosis
Accessed 22/03/10