Movement Problems Not the Only Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Many people think that tremors and slow, rigid movements are the only symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, although these are the most noticeable ones, they’re not always the most distressing. In one survey, 88% of PD patients reported troubling non-movement symptoms. If not recognized as part of PD and treated accordingly, these symptoms can have a severe impact on a person’s life, says Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

The newsletter urges people with PD to talk to their neurologists if they experience any of the following:

• Depression. Depression affects more than half of people with PD. It’s increasingly recognized as a symptom of the disease itself (sometimes even appearing before tremor) and not simply a response to having a chronic illness.
• Cognitive problems. Although the cause isn’t clear, dementia occurs in an estimated 40% of people with PD, a rate six times that in the general population.
• Hallucinations and delusions. At least 20% of people with PD develop hallucinations or delusions.
• Sexual problems. Women with PD sometimes report decreased libido, vaginal tightness, and loss of the ability to achieve orgasm.
• Compulsive behaviors. Uncharacteristic behavior like compulsive gambling, sexual excess, or compulsive shopping may be a side effect of some PD medications.
• Loss of smell. Changes in the senses of smell and taste often occur long before motor symptoms emerge.
• Constipation. This is a common symptom of PD.
• Blood pressure instability. PD interferes with the nervous system’s control of heart function, making it difficult for the body to adjust blood pressure.

Also in this issue:

• High-dose vitamin D to prevent breast cancer?
• Treatment for lichen planus of the vulva
• Minimally invasive treatment for fibroids
• Risks and benefits of weight-loss surgery
• A doctor answers: What can I do about osteoarthritis of the knee?

Harvard Women’s Health Watch

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