8 Early Warning Signs of Parkinson’s Disease

2. Loss of smell

Losing your sense of smell, or hyposmia, is a well-known symptom of COVID-19 and other viral infections.

Researchers aren’t quite sure why it’s also associated with Parkinson’s, says Tagliati, but there’s a clear link between the two, with this symptom appearing in 90 percent of early-stage Parkinson’s cases.

Like sleep problems, issues with smell are easy to brush off and attribute to something else, like allergies, a sinus infection, a previous COVID infection or just aging. But loss of smell shouldn’t be ignored, especially in the presence of other symptoms.

3. Constipation

Parkinson’s affects the autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions we don’t normally think about, like going to the bathroom. Parkinson’s might also affect the gut microbiome, according to a recent study from the journal Neurology, which in turn affects how your digestion system functions — or doesn’t.

Parkinson’s doesn’t hit each GI system the same way. But a change in how often you have a bowel movement — or other digestion changes like bloating, nausea and general discomfort — could be an early warning sign and worth investigating. Because a third of U.S. adults over age 60 report having constipation, this condition is certainly worth mentioning to your doctor but not a reason to panic.

4. Anxiety/Depression

Parkinson’s harms the brain’s ability to create serotonin and dopamine, two brain chemicals that affect mood. Changes in the levels of neurotransmitters can lead to increased anxiety and depression. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, patients can experience depression or anxiety for two to five years before diagnosis.

Parkinson’s-induced mood disorder isn’t typically drastic, like major depression, says Kilbane. But the change might be noticed by a spouse or family member — for example, when a normally happy person starts to become a worrier.

“It’s so subtle that people may not go to the doctor,” she says, especially given the stresses associated with the pandemic, when a lot of people have been worrying more than usual.

5.  Soft Voice

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, 89 percent of people with Parkinson’s will have speech and voice disorders. That often shows up first in volume of the voice, meaning that people may speak more softly — even if they don’t realize it, says Kilbane. This is often noticed by a spouse, friend or family member who has to ask the person to speak up and/or repeat himself.

6.  Masked Face

The muscles in the face are also affected by Parkinson’s, as they experience the same gradual stiffening as in the rest of the body. People with Parkinson’s will have “less facial mimicry and less spontaneous smiling,” says Kilbane, which is why she also calls this condition “poker face.”

People might think you’re angry or upset because your positive emotions are less likely to translate into facial cues that show joy or appreciation, like a smile.

7.  Stiffness and gait problems

It’s common for undiagnosed Parkinson’s patients to view signs like stiffness and gait problems as part of aging, says Kilbane. “You anticipate as you get older that you may slow down a bit in your movements, you might be a little stiffer, and might shuffle a bit,” she says.

Stiffness from Parkinson’s can be mistaken for arthritis, but it will appear in the muscles, not the joints. It’s a distinction that can be hard for a person to make without medical guidance, she says. Gait problems can first show up in someone who has trouble keeping up with their peers on a walk or someone who is having trouble with regular activities like getting in and out of a car — again, something that might be attributed to old age. But both are signs of a potential Parkinson’s diagnosis.

8. Resting Tremors

Shaking in the hand, foot or leg is often the first obvious visual sign for Parkinson’s, says Tagliati. By the time Parkinson’s affects muscles in this way, most patients have already been experiencing early signals like sleep, smell and digestion problems — sometimes for years.

Movements are typically on one side of the body — not necessarily the dominant side — and occur when the limb is at rest. “Normally when you use the hand, the tremor goes away,” he says. “Many people put [their] hand in [a] pocket and nothing really happens.” A tremor in the chin is also common in Parkinson’s and should be investigated.