Parkinson’s Awareness Month Week 1
April 5, 2021
Pre-Motor Symptoms and the Importance of Early Diagnosis
The 2021 Skate-a-thon for Parkinson’s will take place at the end of April and one of the focuses of the event is not just to raise money, but to raise awareness about the early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and the importance of early diagnosis. It will also be the first topic we talk about for Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Explore the articles, blogs, webinars, videos and other resources below to learn more.
Pre-motor symptoms are a group of early non-motor symptoms that often precede the motor symptoms that often lead to a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Early Pre-Motor Symptoms:
- Loss of Smell
- Constipation
- Sleep disorders
- Depression
Benefits of Early Diagnosis:
- Improve quality of life
- Delay disease progression
- Reduce symptoms
- Lower cost of treatment
Improving Outcomes Through Early Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease
Fernando L. Pagán, MD
“Nonmotor symptoms manifest in PD long before motor symptoms, and the early presence of nonmotor symptoms offers an opportunity for early diagnosis and early treatment of PD, with consequent benefits to patient quality of life and potential treatment cost savings.”
Read the full article here.
Premotor Symptoms and Early Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease
Charles H. Adler
“Nonmotor findings, including hyposmia, sleep disorders, autonomic abnormalities, cognitive changes, and neurobehavioral changes, often precede the motor findings… By the time the motor features of PD become clinically apparent, there is upward of 60% loss of dopamine.”
Read the full article here.
The Value of Early Diagnosis and Treatment in Parkinson’s Disease
Michela Tinelli
“Clinical trials also suggest that early treatment can slow disease progression. Both the decrease of symptoms and the potential for slowing disease progression, have a major impact on improving patient quality of life (QoL) and reducing the costs associated ii with PD in the long run.”
Read the full article here.
Resources on Non-Motor and Early Symptoms
10 Early Warning Signs
Parkinson’s Foundation
- Tremor
- Small Handwriting
- Loss of Smell
- Trouble Sleeping
- Trouble Moving or Walking
- Constipation
- Soft or Low Voice
- Masked Face
- Dizziness or Fainting
- Stooping or Hunching Over
We want to know…
What were some of your first symptoms? Looking back, how long did you experience symptoms before getting a diagnosis?
Share your experience with us by emailing Amber at amber@parkinsonsnebraska.org.