Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that impacts the nervous system. It affects the movement and motor skills of an individual. Sometimes, it also changes behavior, cognitive abilities, memory, and sleep patterns. Since the condition is progressive, the symptoms start gradually. Although Parkinson’s is not curable, some treatments slow down the condition’s progression and help manage the symptoms. Understanding the early warning signs of Parkinson’s disease can help in timely diagnosis and management.

Tremors
Also called rhythmic shaking, the tremors usually start in the limbs. Even when the hands are at rest, one might experience tremors. The intensity of shaking may come down when the individual is engaged in some activity or task. Some people with Parkinson’s might experience pill-rolling tremors, wherein they try to rub their forefinger and thumb back and forth.

Slowed movement
This early sign of Parkinson’s is also called bradykinesia and is characterized by slow movement. Also, it makes it harder to perform the simplest of tasks. For example, a person’s steps become slower and shorter while walking. They may tend to shuffle or drag their feet as they walk. They may also find it difficult to stand up after sitting down for a while. In short, it becomes time-consuming to do routine tasks.

Rigid muscles
A person will start to feel stiffness in the muscles of their body. The stiffness triggers pain and discomfort. In addition, it limits their range of motion in the affected body part.

Impaired balance and posture
Here, a person begins to stoop due to poor posture. They will be at risk of frequent falls since they will have balance issues due to the debilitating condition of their nervous system.

Loss of automatic movements
Automatic movements imply involuntary actions or motions like blinking, swinging the arms while walking, and smiling. Parkinson’s disease affects the ability of a person to perform these movements.

Changes in speech
This sign begins relatively slowly in the early stages. A person will start to talk too quickly or softly. Their speech will be slurred. They may also hesitate before talking as if thinking too hard about what they want to say. Furthermore, their normal speech patterns will have a monotone pitch.