Symptoms Categories
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that impairs movement. The disease that affects as much one million Americans tends to rear its ugly head during mid to late age, usually around 60. Nevertheless, Parkinson’s may also develop on younger individuals, where those aged 21 to 50 may show its early signs.
The early signs of this neurological disease are gradual and unnoticeable. Seldom, you may barely notice that one of your hands is trembling. However, as your condition progresses over time, the symptoms eventually worsen.
Medical experts break down the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in the following categories:
- Primary motor symptoms. These symptoms typically impact your primary motor movements. When your brain sends messages to your spinal cord, causing contraction and movement of certain muscles.
- Secondary motor symptoms. The set of symptoms under this category is the result of the primary motor symptoms.
- Non-motor symptoms. These are linked to your natural bodily functions, such as memory, sleep, and cognition.
You don’t need to provide every detail of your symptoms to get a diagnosis for Parkinson’s. There’s still no known cure for the disease. Nonetheless, certain medications may dramatically improve your symptoms. Also, your doctor may occasionally suggest surgery to help manage certain areas of your brain to improve your condition.
Early-Onset
The early signs of Parkinson’s are broad and unclear. Likewise, it may include all three categories. What’s more, the symptoms may come and go during the early stages. According to most people, the exhaustion they feel seems to increase for long periods. Meanwhile, some say that they feel like they’re more passive, both mentally and physically. For these reasons, it’s not uncommon for individuals with the disorder to feel depressed at times.
Furthermore, even if you’re physically active, you may encounter issues while doing your routine workout. For instance, if you’re a runner, you may observe that the movement of your legs is not in coordination with your entire body. Also, another early sign is when you begin shuffling when you walk or notice that your face is exhibiting a lack of movement.
Mild tremor in your hands or feet is an early symptom of Parkinson’s disease as well, on top of a change in your handwriting’s size. Sometimes, the people around you notice these early symptoms while they’re not so apparent to you.
Primary Motor Symptoms
There are five primary symptoms related to movement that your physician will evaluate when diagnosing if you have Parkinson’s. Their intensity may vary, as well as their progression. Some of the symptoms a medical professional will look for during your evaluation include the following:
- Tremors
- Slow movement or bradykinesia
- Gait problems
- Rigidity
- Balance issues or unstable posture
Some people may experience all of these symptoms, while some may only show one or two. In many cases, a movement disorder specialist or your neurologist will determine a diagnosis for Parkinson’s.
Tremors
One of the most common things associated with Parkinson’s is tremors. However, not everyone with the disease will experience them. If you have this primary motor symptom, you’ll experience a resting tremor that typically begins in one hand, leg, or leg. As the disorder advances, you’ll notice it spreading to the other side of your body. Moreover, you may also experience resting tremor in your chin, jaw, mouth, and even tongue. Some individuals who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s said that they also feel an inner tremor.
Slow Movement
Slowness in your movement or bradykinesia is a Parkinson’s primary motor symptom that causes your brain to transmit instructions to your body very slowly. Additionally, it may result in a progressive decrease in your natural movement. These include your eyes blinking at a much slower rate and your face taking on a mass-like appearance. Sometimes, you may even find yourself having trouble performing simple tasks like buttoning your shirt.
Rigidity
We all have our own unique movements. Parkinson’s will affect some of these particular movements on its onset. If you’re someone who typically swings your arms as you walk, and you stopped doing so, then you may have an early symptom of the condition.
What you’re experiencing is rigidity, which is the stiffness or tightness in your torso or limbs. This happens when your muscles stay tense rather than contracting and relaxing as they normally should. As a result, it prevents your arm from moving spontaneously. In the early onset of Parkinson’s, your doctor may sometimes misdiagnose you with an orthopedic impairment or arthritis and not recognize the symptom as rigidity.
Gait And Balance Issues
Freezing of gait is another symptom that may develop when you have Parkinson’s disease. This will make you feel like you’re stuck to the floor and can’t seem to move forward. As a result, it may cause additional problems with your balance and the way you walk.
Secondary Motor Symptoms
The most common secondary motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease you may experience include the following:
- Difficulty in speech
- Stooped posture
- Restless
- Akathisia or fidgety movements, which you may also acquire from the medications you’re taking to fight the disorder
Aside from these, your physician may also evaluate other related symptoms, including unwanted accelerations in your speech or movement. The majority of individuals with the condition start to feel difficulty with the precision of their hand movements. You may notice this while you’re sewing or handling the mouse of your computer.
Furthermore, you see that there’s a change in your handwriting due to bradykinesia. This means that words crow together as your handwriting becomes smaller than usual. However, not all individuals with Parkinson’s will show this early sign of the disease.
Dysphagia
Over the years, some researchers dismissed the earlier notion that dysphagia or swallowing problems only emerge in the disease’s later stages. However, some people experience this secondary motor symptom early on. In fact, it may be one of the earliest signs of Parkinson’s.
Most people experiencing dysphagia say that they find it hard to swallow solid foods. They also report that they feel like their food is stuck in their throat or chest. On the other hand, some say that both liquids and foods seem to be going down the wrong path, causing aspiration.
One of the biggest problems with dysphagia is that you may find it more difficult to take your medications. Additionally, it can lead to malnutrition if it becomes severe enough.
Dystonia
Dystonia is another secondary motor symptom of Parkinson’s that you may experience. When you have this condition, you’ll feel your muscles make repetitive and involuntary movements. This will cause your body to twist in certain postures, preventing you from doing movements you want.
Furthermore, it may affect your limbs, torso, neck, and even your eyes. Dystonia is painful at times, but not always. But keep in mind that it can also mean that you have a genetic disorder or brain lesions. Sometimes, it’s also a side effect of the medicines you’re taking.
Non-Motor Symptoms
The non-motor symptoms of the condition include the reactions of your body to the medications you’re taking to treat it and Parkinson’s itself. Some of these are cognitive changes, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.
Having vivid dreams is one of the effects of Parkinson’s disease medications, which may impact the quality of your sleep. If the stage of your condition is more advanced, you may face problems with thinking straight. Likewise, you may see yourself having a hard time finding the right words to say in the middle of a conversation.
It’s also common to show signs of anxiety and depression. But with proper medications and treatments, these will usually improve over time. Your chance of acquiring melanoma is also increased when you have Parkinson’s.
Other non-motor symptoms your doctor will assess are the following:
- Excessive sweating, particularly in your upper body
- Urinary urgency and Recurrent urination
- Weight loss
- Issues with your vision and eyes, as a result of slowed blinking and diminishing eye movement
- Constipation
- Fainting, blackouts, or lightheadedness
- A change in your personality, including impulse control dysfunctions
Declining Sense Of Smell
A diminished sense of smell is a secondary symptom of Parkinson’s disease that a lot of people with the condition experience. According to medical professionals, this is a result of the changes in your brain’s olfactory bulb. This is the main part of your brain that relays smell signals.
The condition is known as hyposmia that typically happens before more obvious symptoms manifest. What the majority of patients don’t realize is what they’re undergoing is a reduced sense of smell. Hence, they tend to dismiss it. However, researchers are now aware that this symptom is prevalent and occurs in over 90% of individuals with Parkinson’s during its early stages.
Sialorrhea
Sialorrhea is a symptom of the disease where a person experiences drooling and excessive saliva. While some physicians think that this is a motor symptom, some believe that it may likely be the result of dysphagia and other problems with swallowing. Likewise, other automatic movements of the body may cause it as well.
If you’re suffering from Parkinson’s, you’ll see these automatic actions declining. Also, the amount of saliva you’re producing may be normal but you’ll find it difficult to swallow, which causes you to drool. Basically, the more extreme the drooling is, the harder it will be to swallow.
Hypophonia
Many people with Parkinson’s have voice problems. The reason for this is due to the fact that the condition causes the muscle tone to change which impacts the muscles you need for speech.
Soft speech or hypophonia is one of the most common kinds of these speech problems. Some patients may also have difficulties distinguishing between questions and answers. You may hear them speaking in a monotone voice and not realize that they’re speaking loudly. As Parkinson’s advances, people often find it harder to understand what the patient is saying.
Hyperhidrosis and Anhidrosis
Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis may not appear serious, but it’s also a sign of Parkinson’s disorder. Most people with hyperhidrosis, usually sweat too much on their hands, the bottom of their feet, or their body’s upper portions. Some even say that they sweat so much at night that they have trouble getting a good night’s sleep.
This issue can result not only from Parkinson’s itself but also the medications you’re taking to treat it. Your doctor may ease the symptom if the latter is the case by adjusting the dosage of your medicine. Meanwhile, hypohidrosis or anhidrosis is the exact opposite. This condition causes a lack of sweating. Similar to hyperhidrosis, the cause of the symptom may either be your medication or the disease itself.
Hypomimia
Hypomimia, or more commonly known as facial masking is the result of the immobilization of your facial muscles. This condition often leads to a blank expression. Our face displays the emotions we’re feeling. Hence the people we are talking to connects to what we say with the expression on our face.
But if you have Parkinson’s your face will not exhibit any emotion even if the topic you’re talking about is an emotional one. Fortunately, the focus of Parkinson’s researchers today are on occupational therapy and means to aid people with hypomimia so that they can effectively express themselves for others to understand them.
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