• Symptoms of Parkinson's disease

  • Motor symptoms
  • Non-motor symptoms
  • Constipation
  • Sweating
  • Pain
  • Speech and facial expression
  • Sleep and fatigue
  • Sense of smell
  • Mood and behaviour
  • Apathy
  • Anxiety
  • Thought and memory

• Treatment Options

• PD: What you need to know

Non-motor symptoms

As the average age and life expectancy of the population increases, the non-motor features of Parkinson’s disease (PD) become increasingly important.

Non-motor symptoms correlate with advancing age and disease severity, although some non-motor symptoms can occur early in PD.

The spectrum of non-motor symptoms in PD

Non-motor symptoms of PD include problems with constipation, sweating and pain, sleep difficulties, and mood/thought-related conditions (reported by more than 60% of people with PD) such as depression and anxiety.

Non-motor symptoms such as a reduced sense of smell, and impaired speech and facial expression, may appear very early in the disease – in some cases, several years before the first motor symptoms. Other non-motor symptoms appear more frequently in the later stages of the disease, e.g., problems with thought and response to everyday situations (i.e., behaviour). Difficult/painful swallowing, problems with urination, sexual difficulties, and low blood pressure on standing, are other non-motor symptoms that may occur in PD.
Constipation

Constipation is a common symptom in Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is caused by the muscles of the bowel moving more slowly than usual, together with the effects of less physical activity and/or a poor diet.

This particular symptom is relatively easy to treat – either through the sensible use of diet and exercise, or by receiving medication from the doctor. It is also important to treat, as constipation can lead to other health problems and can reduce the effect of some medications, so dealing with it may actually improve function. Drinking plenty of water (8–10 glasses per day), is essential to help manage constipation.