7 early signs of Parkinson's

We have all heard of this disease, but do you really know what Parkinson is and what its symptoms are?

Parkinson is a disorder that affects the nerve cells that control muscle movements. The lack of production of the chemical responsible for assisting body movements and regulating mood, called dopamine. 

According to Fundación del Cerebro (Spanish Brain Foundation), there are approximately 300,000 people affected by Parkinson's disease in Spain. This disease affects each person differently and, although the main physical symptoms are recognized (shaking, stiffness, slowness of movement or instability), it is not always easy to diagnose.

Despite the advancement of neurology and medicine, we still do not know the cause of the disease, so it is also very difficult to know how to prevent it. Although there is no final cure, there are a series of treatments that can improve the patients' quality of life.

At Clinica Juaneda we would like to list 7 early signs of this disorder, as early diagnosis can always help to improve the quality of life.

Be warned! Almost all the symptoms can be very common in a healthy person, meaning, if you recognise some of them when reading this, do not be alarmed. It is normal and can be caused by various reasons. 

When in doubt, as we always say, there is nothing better than asking a specialist for an appointment and doing a complete check-up to clear up any doubts.

1. Shaking: this occurs when you are resting and decreases when you move. It usually first appears in the limbs (foot or hand), but can also affect the face (mouth, eyelids).

2. Small print: One of the symptoms of Parkinson's may be a radical change in the shape or size of the writing size when writing.

3. Sleep problems: difficulty to fall asleep and wake up in the middle of the night.

4. Loss of smell: Losing smell in a congestion or in a cold is totally normal. However, when your sense of smell does not come back after you have recovered and there are certain foods that you can't smell the same, it may be a symptom of Parkinson's disease.

5. Stiffness and difficulty in making movements: it can produce stiffness when walking, arms attached to the body, difficulty when lifting the feet from the ground, clumsiness, falls or loss in the range of movements.

6. Lower voice: A change in the volume of the voice or a chronic hoarseness may be one of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

7. Lack of facial expression: facial expressions that show lack of movements are called 'mas-like expression': lack of blinking, grumpy expression or serious appearance.

We must repeat that none of these symptoms should worry us. However, if you suffer from more than one, we encourage you to make an appointment with a specialist.

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