Harry Styles' mum on her father having Parkinson's disease
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There are several symptoms and signs to look out for when it comes to Parkinson’s disease. It is important to spot signs as although there is currently no cure for the disease, early diagnosis ensures that patients can receive the proper treatment and advice regarding care. What are four lesser-known early warning symptoms?
Loss of smell
A common recollection by people who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s is that they remember changes in their sense of smell several years before developing any tremor or other movement problems.
However, many people might not even recognise that their sense of smell is bad.
It is only when tested that we see that up to 90% of people living with Parkinson’s have lost their sense of smell.
Constipation
Problems with digestion and bowel movements are a big problem for people with Parkinson’s.
In fact, problems relating to gastrointestinal disorders may occur long before the more common symptoms notorious with Parkinson’s disease such as tremors.
People can develop constipation for lots of different reasons, but it is clear that people living with Parkinson’s have problems with bowel movements.
Constipation may, in fact, be one of the very earliest features, occurring up to 20 years before Parkinson’s is diagnosed.
Anxiety
If a person feels anxiety or depression which is above and beyond the normal ups and downs it could be an early warning.
These feelings are evident in those suffering with Parkinson’s because of the changes in the balance of chemical activity in the brain. These changes can start up to twenty years before a person is diagnosed with the condition.
By treating depression, a significant decrease in the disability occurs and an improvement in one’s quality of life.
Mouth symptoms
According to the charity, Parkinson’s UK, it can cause the muscles in a person’s jaw and face to be less efficient, which affects the control they have over chewing and swallowing.
“Less efficient muscles may also reduce the tightness that you have when closing your lips, making it hard to swallow,” said the health body.
Parkinson’s can also cause problems with tongue muscles.
As the charity explained: “The tongue is important in swallowing. We use it to move food around and push it to the back of the mouth to trigger the swallowing reflexes. Parkinson’s can also impair the reflexes that protect our windpipe from food and drink.”
The more common early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:
- Tremor
- Slowness of movement
- Rigidity
- Fatigue
- Small handwriting
- Balance problems.
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