Although the main symptoms of the disease are movement-related (motor) symptoms, in recent years it has been determined that the disease can start with problems such as smell problems, constipation, depression, sleep problems and shoulder pain before movement is affected. The basic picture of Parkinsonism is slowing down of movements and decreasing the amount of movement. Tremor is the initial symptom of approximately 50% to 75% of Parkinson's patients. In some patients, tremors may not be observed at all.
Sometimes the early findings may be very faint, so much so that they may not be noticed for months. There is no specific order in which these symptoms appear, and they do not occur all at once in every patient. Signs and symptoms are not exactly the same in patients. Symptoms, which initially appear frequently in one half of the body or only in one arm or leg, lead to bilateral involvement, typically evident in one half of the body, over time.
The main signs and symptoms are as follows:
- Tremors
- Slowing of movements
- Tressure in one or more limbs (arms or legs)
- Not swinging the arms while walking
- Loss of movements such as facial expressions and gestures while talking
- Slow, small-stepped or shuffling walking
- Body posture becoming forward-leaning >
- Speech in a soft and low voice, monotonous
- Shrinkage in handwriting, illegibility
- Saliva leaking from the mouth, difficulty in swallowing
- Weakness, fatigue
- Mood changes, depression, unreasonable distress
- Constipation, excessive sweating, low blood pressure
- Pain, muscle spasms
Tremor usually occurs in the hands while at rest and increases with stress. Apart from the hands, tremors may also occur in the feet, chin and lips. However, not every person with tremors has Parkinson's disease. While normal people may experience tremors, especially in the hands, in stressful situations, tremors may also occur in many other diseases. When the slowness of movements is very obvious, patients may need help from their relatives even in the simplest daily tasks.
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