The symptoms of Parkinson's disease begin subtly and advance slowly. As symptoms progress they eventually affect motor skills, speech, gait, digestion, movement, emotion, blood pressure, balance and posture.
The way that symptoms of Parkinson's disease develop varies between individuals. However, Parkinson's disease ultimately leads to disability. Symptoms usually begin in late middle age or later.
Early symptoms include tremors, or trembling in the hands, arms, legs and face. People may experience a sensation of feeling shaky and may exhibit depression and irritability. Eventually the arms, legs and trunk becomes rigid and the person develops bradykinesia, a slowness of movement that includes sudden freezing of muscle movement. Muscle also become rigid, called akinesia. Balance and coordination become impaired, increasing the risk of falls.
Other symptoms include a slowing of the digestive system, leading to constipation, fatigue and weakness. Hypotension can occur, leading to fainting and falls. People with Parkinson's can also experience leg cramps and leg burning.
Eventually people with Parkinson's disease develop a characteristic shuffling walk, stooped posture and blank stare. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease eventually progress to become severely disabling. Complications of Parkinson's disease can include falls, dementia, problems with memory and thinking, and depression....more about Parkinson's Disease »
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Parkinson's Disease includes the 37 symptoms listed below:
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It is a neurodegenerative disease that manifests as a tremor, muscular stiffness and difficulty with balance and walking. A classic pathological feature of the disease is the presence of an inclusion body, called the Lewy body, in many regions of the brain. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)
The four primary symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability or impaired balance and coordination. Patients may also have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. The disease is both chronic and progressive. Parkinson's is not usually inherited. Early symptoms are subtle and occur gradually. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Parkinson's Disease Information Page: NINDS)
When considering symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, it is also important to consider Parkinson's Disease as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Parkinson's Disease may cause:
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The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. This signs and symptoms information for Parkinson's Disease has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Parkinson's Disease signs or Parkinson's Disease symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Parkinson's Disease may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Parkinson's Disease symptoms.
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