It can be exceedingly difficult to tell that our loved one has Parkinson’s disease. The symptoms can be so subtle during the early stages that it can almost go unnoticed. This means that the disease often goes undiagnosed for a long period.
There are a combination of warning signs rather than having one definite symptom of Parkinson’s. There are different symptoms for every person who lives with Parkinson’s, which makes the diagnosis process very confusing. However, a few things can help you determine whether your loved one is experiencing the early stages of Parkinson’s.
Complications with moving
Feelings of stiffness, especially in the legs or arms can be indicative of Parkinson’s, especially if it does not go away when they get up to move. It can also be exceedingly difficult to get up and move around, thanks to stiffness and pain in the shoulders and hips. The early stages of Parkinson’s might cause an arm to look stiff as our loved one walks.
Trouble Sleeping
If you hear that your older loved one has issues sleeping, it might be indicative of an issue. They might be developing Parkinson’s disease when they experience sudden movements while sleeping. These movements include punching, kicking, or just falling out of bed. Those who live with Parkinson’s tend to wake themselves up because of involuntary movement or have extremely vivid dreams.
Loss of smell
The early stages of Parkinson’s might lead to a loss of smell. If your loved one suddenly cannot enjoy the fresh flowers that you brought or cannot enjoy the warm chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, it might mean a serious issue. The loss of smell often occurs years before other cognitive or motor symptoms begin to develop.
Small handwriting
One of the more unknown signs of Parkinson’s disease? A sudden change in handwriting. If you notice that your loved is writing words far more crowded together than before and also much smaller, it might mean that they are experiencing the early stages of Parkinson’s disease.
Tremors or shaking
Another early sign of Parkinson’s disease is the constant shaking of the limbs or twitching. Especially during the early stages of the disease, it might cause tremors in the hands, chin, or lip, a slight shake or constantly twitching.
