What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease develops when the substantia nigra — the part of the brain responsible for sending movement instructions to the rest of the body — is unable to send coherent messages to the muscles.
As a result, your muscles don’t know what to do, or how to move the way they should, and you gradually lose control over your body.
Others May Catch on Before You Do
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation’s Prevalence Project, 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease annually. However, because the disease progresses slowly, years can go by before it becomes obvious that something is amiss.
You may not notice the signs, or may assume that it’s just one of those things that happen with growing older. But your friends and family might remark that this is the third time this week you’ve dropped your coffee mug. Or that you seem a little uncoordinated lately. Or that you’re not talking loud enough.
If this happens, you should start paying attention to your body and watch closely for the 5 early signs of Parkinson’s disease.
The 5 Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease can develop so slowly that many people don’t realize they have it until it’s too late. Take note if:
- Your hands start trembling
- Your handwriting shrinks
- You can’t smell things
- You have trouble sleeping
- People start asking you to speak up louder
- Tremors
A rhythmic, involuntary shaking of your hands is often the first giveaway that you might have Parkinson’s disease. The tremors are most noticeable when your hands are at rest. The movement is sometimes called ‘pill-rolling’, as if you were rolling a small object, like a medicinal pill or bean, between your thumb and forefinger.
- Micrographia
1 in every 2 people with Parkinson’s disease is likely to develop tiny, cramped handwriting, called micrographia. This happens because:
- There is a neural disconnect between your brain and your hand. Your brain is simply unable to tell your hand what to do.
- The muscles in your hands have grown stiff and rigid. This makes it difficult to hold a pen properly and guide it across paper to produce legible writing.
- Hyposmia
Loss of smell is a common yet usually overlooked symptom of Parkinson’s disease, so be vigilant if you notice you can’t smell flowers, or dill pickles, or gasoline anymore. A recent research study conducted at the Yale School of Medicine has shown that people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease reported losing their sense of smell up to 10 years before their diagnosis.
- Insomnia
Having trouble falling asleep is often a direct result of the tremors and other physical distress brought on by Parkinson’s disease, such as muscular stiffness, bodily aches and pains, and restless legs syndrome.
- Hypophonia
A complex system of muscle coordination is needed to produce speech that is audible and coherent. Up to 90 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease lose control over the muscles that regulate speech volume, expression, and tone. As the disease progresses, the volume of their speech reduces, and they often sound hoarse, toneless, and emotionless.
Dealing with Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive health condition that worsens with time. As of this moment, it is classified as incurable. The best way to manage it is with medications to control the severity of symptoms, following a healthier lifestyle, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
There are surgical treatment options, too. If this is something you might want to explore in greater depth, talk to your doctor for further guidance.