Parkinson's disease often begins with subtle signs like constipation, sleep issues, and loss of smell, long before the famous hand tremors appear.
Early signs of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is commonly associated with shaking hands, but its early signs often appear years before tremors begin. These signs include persistent constipation, frequent urination, and a diminished sense of smell.Digestive and urinary symptoms
According to a report from Science et vie, neurologist Alexandra Pérez Soriano from the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona explains that the disease can manifest through digestive and urinary issues long before tremors occur. Constipation, for example, can appear years before any motor symptoms and affects up to two-thirds of patients.Loss of smell and other subtle indicators
A loss of smell affects nearly 90% of those with Parkinson's and is another early sign. Other subtle indicators include a decline in handwriting, a weaker voice, and a depressive mood, which are present in about 40% of patients.Sleep disorders as an early sign
A disorder during REM sleep, where muscle paralysis does not occur, causes people to act out their dreams, cry, punch, or fall out of bed. This nocturnal disorder is often dismissed but is among the earliest indicators of Parkinson's disease.
