At the American Parkinson’s Disease Association’s recent “Ask the Expert” event on Smart Patients, APDA’s Dr. Rebecca Gilbert answered questions from the Parkinson’s community about diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment. She shares her answers to participant questions about recognizing these early warning signs and what to do if you suspect you may be at increased risk.
Some early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) can begin many years before the classic motor symptoms (slowness, stiffness, tremor) ever appear. Symptoms such as sleep disturbances, loss of smell, constipation, and mood changes can emerge years before a formal PD diagnosis. Researchers are even exploring ways to detect Parkinson’s before symptoms ever appear.