The signs and symptoms of Parkinson disease can vary for each individual. They can be mild, especially in the very early stages. Over time, the important cardinal signs of Parkinson disease develop initially on one side of the body before progressing to affect both sides. These are shaking (tremors), stiffness (rigidity) and slowness of movement (bradykinesia).
The tremors often start in the limb, most noticeably in the hand. A key feature is that the tremor in the hand happens when the hand is resting. This is also known as a rest tremor occurring at 4-6Hz.
The stiffness affects the muscles in the body and can be in any part. Most typically, the rigid muscle leads to reduced swing of the arm on one side of the body during walking.
The slowness of movement gradually worsens and walking becomes more difficult. Often the steps become shorter and the feet may drag during walking, producing a “shuffling gait”. Patients sometimes feel that their muscles are “weak" but muscle strength is not actually affected.
Other motor signs that may also occur together with the above are changes in handwriting, softer monotonous speech, reduction in facial expression, a stooped posture, and poor balance.
There are also non-motor signs and these may include loss of sense of smell, constipation, sleep problems, and various mood problems.
Because there is often much variability in the signs of Parkinson disease in its initial stages and because there are other neurological diseases with similar signs, evaluation by a doctor is highly recommended.
Read more on Deep Brain Stimulation, a treatment for the Parkinson's disease
