According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, over 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease, and out of those 10 million people, an estimated one million are those who live in the United States. In fact, it’s projected that nearly 90,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Parkinson’s each year—with men being 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson’s disease than women, with the primary risk factor being age.
Because Parkinson’s progresses at different rates for different people, it’s vital to be able to recognize symptoms of the disease as they appear. The earlier you detect the signs and the quicker you act, the more you can support your body against losing its essential motor functions.
Below, we’ve included some of the most important and common signs to look out for. Knowing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease could improve the quality of someone’s day-to-day experiences or even save a life. Keep in mind, noticing a single one of these signs does not mean you should immediately worry, but if you have more than one, you should consider making an appointment with your doctor.
10 Early Warning Signs of Parkinson’s Disease:
- Tremors: Shaking that’s slight but noticeable in your fingers, thumbs, hands, or chin while at rest
- Small, Illegible Handwriting: Handwriting that has gotten much smaller or harder to read than it was in the past; a significant change in the way your words are written, such as smaller letter sizes or words that are crowded together
- Loss of Smell: Noticing you can no longer smell certain food very well; if you seem to have more trouble smelling foods like bananas, dill pickles, licorice, etc., and you did not lose your sense of smell due to COVID-19
- Trouble Sleeping: Thrashing around in the bed or experiencing sudden movements when you sleep; acting out dreams when you are deeply asleep
- Trouble Moving or Walking: Your arms don’t swing like they used to when you walk, and others have noticed; you sometimes feel as if your feet are stuck to the floor and don’t want to move
- Constipation:Trouble moving your bowels every day without straining
- Soft or Hoarse Sounding Voice: Repeatedly being told you have a very soft voice or not being able to control how your voice sounds—such as quiet, breathy, or hoarse
- Facial Masking: Repeatedly being told you have a serious, angry, or depressed look on your face even when you are not in a bad mood, which is called facial masking and can be an early sign of Parkinson’s
- Dizziness or Fainting: Feeling faint or dizzy when you stand up, which can be a sign of low blood pressure and can be linked to Parkinson’s
- Stooping or Hunching Over: Stooping, leaning, or slouching when you stand—family and friends have started to notice, and you don’t have an injury or an issue with your bones that could be causing this
If you have noticed several of these early warning signs in yourself or a loved one, it could result in a Parkinson’s diagnosis. But the best and only way to be sure, is by scheduling an appointment with your doctor.
Meet Your Senior Living Expert
We know a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis can be difficult to process and respond to, but you don’t have to handle it alone. If you’re looking for senior living solutions that meet your unique needs, Silver Bridges Consulting is here to help. We’ll work closely with you during every step of the journey to find the community that’s the complete package, offering steadfast support throughout the transition and well into the future. We support families throughout the process and help them find the ideal senior living community, including:
- Independent Living
- Assisted Living
- Memory Care
