Signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease might be mild at first. Early symptoms of Parkinson’s might include a mild tremor or the feeling that one leg is slightly stiff or dragging. You may also have trouble with handwriting. These symptoms can affect one or both sides of the body. Early symptoms can also include constipation and loss of smell.

As the disease progresses, symptoms can include:

• Rigid or stiff muscles
• Muscle aches and pains
• Stooped posture
• Slow blinking or slowed, quieter speech and monotype voice
• Difficulty swallowing
• Drooling
• No expression in your face (like you are wearing a mask)
• Trouble getting up from a chair or couch

A patient with Parkinson’s disease can also experience movement problems, such as:

• Difficulty starting movement, such as walking or getting out of a chair
• Slowed movements
• Loss of small hand movements (writing may become small and difficult to read)
• Difficulty eating

Tremors can:

• Occur when your limbs are not moving (resting tremor)
• Occur when your arm or leg is held out
• Go away when you move
• Get worse when you are tired, excited or stressed
• Cause you to rub your finger and thumb together without meaning to (pill-rolling tremor)
• Eventually may occur in your head, lips, tongue and feet

As Parkinson's disease progresses, it can have a significant impact on overall health and well-being. Advanced symptoms of Parkinson’s can include:

• Problems with balance and walking
• Low blood pressure when you stand up, which may lead to fainting
• Sweating and not being able to control your body temperature
• Anxiety
• Tension
• Memory loss
• Confusion
• Depression
• Dementia
   

At Penn State Neuroscience Institute, our experts will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms and perform a thorough physical examination. There is no specific Parkinson’s test, but sometimes imaging can help rule out other conditions. A special kind of imaging called single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) may help confirm a Parkinson’s diagnosis. But most people with Parkinson’s are diagnosed based on their medical history, a review of signs and symptoms, and a neurological and physical exam.

Common Parkinson’s disease symptoms that our experts will be looking for include:

• Slow in movement
• Stiffness
• Shaking (tremors) while resting

At Penn State Neuroscience Institute, it’s our goal to treat your Parkinson’s disease symptoms compassionately and effectively. We’re here for you every step of the way.

There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but our experts at Penn State Neuroscience Institute will work with you to create a treatment plan to best control your symptoms. If you or a loved one has Parkinson’s disease, take comfort that many medications can help in the early stages of the disease. How well the medicine continues to relieve Parkinson’s symptoms as the condition progresses can vary widely.

Some Parkinson’s patients may benefit from a surgical procedure called deep brain stimulation (DBS). In DBS, a device called a neurostimulator delivers small electrical signals to the parts of the brain that control movement. If our team thinks you are a candidate for DBS, we’ll talk to you about the benefits, risks and what to expect.