Early manifestations of Parkinson’s disease

  Clinically, typical Parkinson’s disease patients mainly present with tremor, tonicity, reduced movement and postural abnormalities (four main signs). However, Parkinson’s disease is a chronic progressive disease, in the early stage of the above symptoms do not manifest at the same time, and some early symptoms, even if they exist, often do not attract the attention of patients and families, therefore, it is difficult to diagnose early.  The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease mainly depends on the observation and examination of the clinician. For patients who are clinically suspected of having early Parkinson’s disease, appropriate amounts of anti-tremor and muscle tone improvement medications can be given for diagnostic purposes, which will help with early diagnosis.  In general, patients with Parkinson’s disease often have hypermobility as the first symptom, mainly in the completion of writing, knotting shoelaces and buttons, shaving, putting on and taking off shoes and socks, washing the face and other fine movements are clumsy and difficult, walking slowly, lower limbs dragging. These are often considered by oneself or others as a sign of aging and are not investigated. On examination, the physician may find varying degrees of increased muscle tone. In some patients, resting tremor may appear in the early stages. The tremor often starts at the distal end of one upper limb, appears at rest and decreases or disappears with casual movements. In early Parkinson’s disease, the symptoms are mostly asymmetrical, meaning that the symptoms begin in one limb and gradually spread to all four limbs as the disease progresses. In the early stages of the disease, the patient’s mental, intellectual and verbal abilities are normal.