The type and severity of symptoms experienced by a person
with Parkinson's
disease vary with each individual and the stage of
Parkinson's disease. The most common symptoms include:
- Tremor, or shaking -
often in a hand, arm, or leg. Tremor caused by Parkinson's
disease occurs when the person is awake and sitting or standing
still (resting tremor) and subsides when the person moves the affected body
part.
- Stiff
muscles (rigidity) and aching muscles - One of the most common early signs
of Parkinson's disease is a reduced arm swing on one side when the person is
walking that is caused by rigid muscles. Rigidity can also affect the muscles
of the legs, face, neck, or other parts of the body and may cause muscles to
feel tired and achy.
- Slow,
limited movement (bradykinesia) - especially when the person tries to move
from a resting position. For instance, it may be difficult to get out of a
chair or turn over in bed.
- Weakness
of face and throat muscles - Talking and swallowing may become more
difficult, and the person may choke, cough, or drool. Speech becomes softer and
monotonous. Loss of movement in the muscles in the face can cause a fixed,
vacant facial expression, often called the "Parkinson's mask.
- Difficulty
with walking (gait disturbance) and balance (postural instability) -A
person with Parkinson's disease is likely to take small steps and shuffle with
his or her feet
close together, bend forward slightly at the waist (stooped posture), and have
trouble turning around. Balance and posture problems may result in frequent
falls. But these problems usually do not develop until later in the course of
the disease.
Tremor is often the first symptom that people with Parkinson's disease or
their family members notice. Initially, the tremor may appear in just one arm
or leg or only on one side of the body. The tremor also may affect the chin,
lips, and tongue.
Although tremor is one of the most common signs of Parkinson's disease, not
everyone with tremor has Parkinson's disease. Unlike tremor caused by
Parkinson's disease, tremor caused by other conditions gets better when your
arm or hand is not moving and gets worse when you try to move it.
Parkinson's disease can cause many other
symptoms. These include:
- Decreased dexterity and coordination. Changes in
handwriting are common, with writing becoming smaller. Athletic abilities decline
and daily activities such as dressing and eating become harder.
- Cramps in the muscles and joints.
- Oily skin
or increased dandruff.
- Digestive and urinary problems. Constipation
is common. Controlling urination (incontinence)
may be difficult, and urination may be frequent and at times urgent. Drugs used to treat
Parkinson's disease may help or may sometimes make these symptoms worse.
- Problems with involuntary or automatic body
functions, such as increased sweating, low blood
pressure when the person stands up (orthostatic hypertension), and
problems with sexual
function. These symptoms may also be caused by Parkinson's-plus
conditions or drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease.
- Freezing,
a sudden, brief inability to move. It most often affects walking.
- Problems falling asleep or staying asleep
(insomnia) can result from anxiety, depression, or physical
restlessness. People with Parkinson's disease may not be able to sleep well
because they cannot easily turn over or change position in bed.
- A person with Parkinson's disease may slowly
become more dependent, fearful, indecisive, and passive. The person may talk
less often than he or she used to, withdraw from family and friends, and remain
inactive unless encouraged to move about. Depression is very common in people
with this disease and can be caused by chemical changes in the brain or can be a reaction
to having a disabling disease. Depression often improves with proper treatment.
- Up to one-third of people with Parkinson's
disease may develop dementia
and confusion, similar to Alzheimer's
disease, late in the course of the disease. Depression can further contribute
to memory loss and confusion.
Memory loss, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't really
there), and vivid dreams may sometimes be caused by drugs taken to treat
Parkinson's disease.
