1. Notice Small Changes in Your Physical Movements
The onset of Parkinson's Disease, a neurological condition that affects nerve endings in the brain, is gradual and can be very subtle. In fact, it may be difficult for you to catch the early symptoms of the disease. In many cases, small tremors or shaking may be noticed by friends or family and brought to your attention.
While these tremors are often the first sign of Parkinson's Disease to be recognized, you may catch the early symptoms through other, less obvious, signs. For example, you may find it more difficult to get out of a chair. Your handwriting may become smaller and the individual letters may appear to be cramped or difficult for others to read. Another sign of the early symptoms of Parkinson's Disease is the inability to keep track of a conversation or to express a thought. You may forget what you were talking about in mid-sentence.
2. Note Some of the Side Effects of These Early Symptoms
While most of the early symptoms of Parkinson's Disease affect your physical movement or thought processes, you need to be aware of changes in your emotional health that may be caused by this neurological condition. For instance, many sufferers from Parkinson's Disease may feel depressed after noticing these early symptoms. Since Parkinson's Disease usually affects people over the age of 60, these symptoms may be merely accepted as part of the aging process, and can make you feel like you're just experiencing "old age." These negative emotions can mask the real cause of your physical condition. In addition, stiff muscles and trembling can cause insomnia or other sleep disorders. Sleep deprivation will certainly affect your emotional health as well.
3. Have Your Doctor Perform a Full Neurological Exam
The easiest way to catch the early symptoms of Parkinson's Disease is to visit your doctor and submit to a basic neurological exam. This test will be simple and relatively painless, and will consist mostly of performing a variety of physical movements to determine whether any of the more common signs of the disorder are present. If your doctor observes three or more common signs of Parkinson's, he will submit a diagnosis.
