Symptoms
The three cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease are: stiffness (also known as rigidity), slow movement (also known as bradykinesia), and shaking at rest (also known as resting tremor). These symptoms were described by Dr. James Parkinson in his 1817 pamphlet, "Essay on the Shaking Palsy." Parkinson's disease affects different people in different ways. No two people who have Parkinson's disease will have identical symptoms—or the exact same visible signs of those symptoms. In general, Parkinson's disease symptoms fall into two categories: early-stage and advanced-stage symptoms.
Early-stage symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may include the mild tremor of a limb or limbs at rest (such as shaking of the hands and arms, trembling legs and feet, etc.), slowness of movement, body/limb stiffness, or mild postural imbalance.
As Parkinson’s disease progresses, a person may notice increasingly severe resting tremor of a limb or limbs, slowness of movement, body/limb stiffness, or significant loss of balance. During the advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease, a patient may require significant assistance from a caregiver and support from friends and family. Be aware that there are various Parkinson's disease treatment options that can help lessen these symptoms.
In general, someone with Parkinson’s disease will experience one or more of the following symptoms:
Shaking at rest (also known as resting tremor)
A symptom of involuntary trembling that may occur in the hands, arms, and legs of a patient. This shaking is usually evident when the patient is either standing still, seated, or lying down. Slow movement (also known as bradykinesia)
Slower-than-normal movement can occur in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Stiffness (also known as rigidity)
A symptom of body or limb inflexibility present in a patient with Parkinson’s disease. Balance problems (also known as postural imbalance)
A symptom that manifests itself in the inability of a patient to balance or remain steady. Change in volume of speaking voice (also known as hyperkinetic dysarthia)
A symptom that may be noticeable in some patients is the low volume of their speaking voice. As a result, some Parkinson’s disease patients need to raise their voices in order to be heard.
Change in handwriting style (also known as micrographia)
A symptom that produces a noticeable change in a patient’s handwriting style, as well as a shrinking in the size of the script. One place to measure this change in handwriting is to review documents that require an annual signature, such as tax returns. Other changes in handwriting in Parkinson's disease may result from shaking at rest, slow movement, or stiffness.
Masked face (also known as hypomimia)
A symptom where there is a reduced degree of facial expression, or rigidity, caused by decreased facial muscle movement.
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If you have one or more of these symptoms or you think you may have one or more of these symptoms, please talk to your doctor and get a medical evaluation. If you have a friend or loved one who you think may have one or more of these symptoms, please encourage them to talk to their doctor as well.
Looking for a treatment option that may be able to help you with your symptoms? Click here
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