What is Parkinson’s Disease? Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
Symptoms
Parkinson's disease signs and symptoms can be different for everyone. Early signs may be mild and go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of your body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect both sides.
Parkinson's signs and symptoms may include:
- Tremor. A tremor, or shaking, usually begins in a limb, often your hand or fingers. You may rub your thumb and forefinger back and forth, known as a pill-rolling tremor. Your hand may tremble when it's at rest.
- Slowed movement (bradykinesia). Over time, Parkinson's disease may slow your movement, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming. Your steps may become shorter when you walk. It may be difficult to get out of a chair. You may drag your feet as you try to walk.
- Rigid muscles. Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiff muscles can be painful and limit your range of motion.
- Impaired posture and balance. Your posture may become stooped, or you may have balance problems as a result of Parkinson's disease.
- Loss of automatic movements. You may have a decreased ability to perform unconscious movements, including blinking, smiling or swinging your arms when you walk.
- Speech changes. You may speak softly, quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than have the usual inflections.
- Writing changes. It may become hard to write, and your writing may appear small
Risk factors
Risk factors for Parkinson's disease include:
- Age. Young adults rarely experience Parkinson's disease. It ordinarily begins in middle or late life, and the risk increases with age. People usually develop the disease around age 60 or older.
- Heredity. Having a close relative with Parkinson's disease increases the chances that you'll develop the disease. However, your risks are still small unless you have many relatives in your family with Parkinson's disease.
- Sex. Men are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than are women.
- Exposure to toxins. Ongoing exposure to herbicides and pesticides may slightly increase your risk of Parkinson's disease.
Complications
Parkinson's disease is often accompanied by these additional problems, which may be treatable:
- Thinking difficulties. You may experience cognitive problems (dementia) and thinking difficulties. These usually occur in the later stages of Parkinson's disease. Such cognitive problems aren't very responsive to medications.
Depression and emotional changes. You may experience depression, sometimes in the very early stages. Receiving treatment for depression can make it easier to handle the other challenges of Parkinson's disease.
You may also experience other emotional changes, such as fear, anxiety or loss of motivation. Doctors may give you medications to treat these symptoms.
- Swallowing problems. You may develop difficulties with swallowing as your condition progresses. Saliva may accumulate in your mouth due to slowed swallowing, leading to drooling.
- Chewing and eating problems. Late-stage Parkinson's disease affects the muscles in your mouth, making chewing difficult. This can lead to choking and poor nutrition.
Sleep problems and sleep disorders. People with Parkinson's disease often have sleep problems, including waking up frequently throughout the night, waking up early or falling asleep during the day.
People may also experience rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, which involves acting out your dreams. Medications may help your sleep problems.
- Bladder problems. Parkinson's disease may cause bladder problems, including being unable to control urine or having difficulty urinating.
- Constipation. Many people with Parkinson's disease develop constipation, mainly due to a slower digestive tract.
Stages of Parkinson’s and life expectancy
Stage 1
During this stage, the symptoms are mild and unlikely to affect day-to-day functioning or life expectancy. The early signs of the disease may include tremors or shakes and changes in posture, gait, and facial expressions.
Stage 2
Stage 2 symptoms are moderate and become more noticeable than those in stage 1. They may begin to affect daily life and tasks but are unlikely to affect life expectancy. Symptoms in this stage include:
- difficulty walking
- muscle stiffness
- noticeable changes to posture
- speech difficulties
Progression to this stage may take months or years.
Stage 3
At this stage, people experience greater difficulty with balance and movement. They are still independent, but daily tasks can be challenging. Falls are more common once people reach stage 3.
While the symptoms in stage 3 are still unlikely to affect life expectancy, a serious fall may cause injuries and other complications.
Stage 4
Stage 4 symptoms are severe and limiting, and people in this stage are unable to live alone due to safety concerns. While they may be able to stand without assistance, they will require help to move and perform other tasks.
Complications arising in stage 4, particularly those resulting from the increased risk of falling, may affect a person’s quality of life.
Stage 5
The symptoms at this advanced stage are debilitating. A person may be unable to stand or walk, and they may require a wheelchair. Those in stage 5 require assistance at all times and for all activities.
Hallucinations and delusions are common and affect 20–40% of people with the condition. This number increases with disease progression.
In stage 5, people may be more prone to injuries and infections, which could cause complications or be fatal. However, most people will still have a normal or near-normal life expectancy.
Who gets Parkinson’s disease?
About 50% more men than women get Parkinson’s disease. It is most commonly seen in persons 60 years of age and older. However, up to 10% of patients are diagnosed before age 50.
About 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed in the United States each year.
Can you live a normal life with Parkinson's Disease
Most people with Parkinson's disease have a normal or near-normal life expectancy. Modern medications and treatments mean that people can manage their symptoms and reduce the occurrence or severity of complications, which might otherwise be fatal.