Parkinson's Disease - Symptoms

The symptoms by which PD can be identified include:

• Tremor (shaking), usually beginning in the hands. The classic tremor associated with PD is called "pill-rolling tremor." The movement is like rolling a pill between the thumb and forefinger. The movement occurs about three times per second.
• Slowing down of movements. A person may slow down or even stop in the middle of familiar movements, such as walking, eating, or shaving.
• Muscle rigidity (stiffness). A PD patient's movements may be jerky rather than smooth.

Former world champion boxer Muhammad Ali now suffers from Parkinson's disease. (Reproduced by permission of

AP/Wide World Photos

)

• Problems with posture and balance. A person may change the way he or she walks to keep from falling over.
• "Masked face." This condition gets its name from the fact that the patient seems to have no facial expression. He or she may even have a greatly reduced rate of eye blinking.

Parkinson's disease may also be accompanied by one or more other symptoms, including:

• Depression
• Changes in the way a person speaks
• Sleep problems, including restlessness and nightmares
• Emotional changes, including increased fear, irritability, and feelings of insecurity
• Incontinence (loss of bladder control)
• Constipation
• Changes in handwriting
• Dementia (increased problems with mental functions)