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People tend to associate tremors and involuntary movement with Parkinson’s. But, slowness of movement, gait and balance problems, loss of sense of smell, apathy, constipation, muscle cramps, fatigue, drooling, sleep issues and other symptoms may be common.
Major "motor" symptoms: slowness of movement, at-rest tremor, muscle rigidity, and balance issues tend to define Parkinson’s.
Non-motor symptoms, such as loss of sense of smell, may occur before the motor symptoms.
There isn’t a lab test for Parkinson’s.
Non-motor symptoms, such as loss of sense of smell, may occur before the motor symptoms.
If you just found out you or a friend has Parkinson’s, this is a good place to start: Link - Fox
Two good resources, which I will reference multiple times: Link - PD Canada Link - Davis Phinney
Good video describing medications -- D Phinney YouTube
Develop a “cheat sheet” for the terminology, some terms may sound confusing. Examples are:
General
PD – Parkinson’s disease
Dopamine – a neurotransmitter, impacted if you have PD
MDS – Movement Disorder Specialist (specialized neurology doctor)
Symptoms
Resting tremor – involuntary, rhythmic shaking, occurs when you are resting and may go away when you grasp an object
Bradykinesia – slowness of movement (a key component in the diagnosis of PD)
Dystonia – abnormal, involuntary movements, slow and cramped
Dyskinesia – involuntary movements, a side-effect of medication
Common medicines:
Levodopa – the “raw material” for dopamine, the nearly universal treatment for PD
Sinemet – a brand of carbidopa/levodopa (C/L). The carbidopa helps control the breakdown of the levodopa.
Dopamine agonist -- functions as a substitute for dopamine
See Terms & Abbreviations for a longer list.
Start building a support team:
Family and friends
Medical
Work
Organized PD groups
Find a good PT. A good PT will focus on an approach that "facilitates" movements, not one that "forces" movement -- instead of telling you to swing your arm, they will show you a supportive exercise that will facilitate a natural arm swing.
There are four key factors in alleviating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease:
Medication -- Most people define Parkinson's as responding to levodop -- but there is no "one size fits all" medication, your movement disorders specialist will recommend the medication(s) that are right for you, at your stage of the disease.
Physical -- Exercise is an important supplement to medication, to the severity of PD symptoms in both your body and your brain. The best exercise is the one you will do--cycling, brisk walking, yoga, dancing, hiking, swimming, Tai Chi, or yard work, for example.
Intellectual -- Keep your brain active by reading, writing, or teaching yourself a new skill related to an area of interest. Examples include learning to play chess, construct a web page, speak another language or knit a scarf.
Social -- Staying connected with friends and family may moderate the apathy and depression often related to Parkinson's.
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