Parkinson’s disease is difficult to diagnose in the early stages. The first signs and symptoms of the disease are so subtle that its often missed. Often an observant family member or friend will notice the beginning of the changes in a person, which may be so vague that it is often dismissed as occurring due to old age. Diagnosis is frequently missed in younger people since the first signs and symptoms, even when noticed earlier, may be attributed to other conditions instead of Parkinson’s disease.

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Bradykinesia is a Greek term meaning “slow movement” and was first coined by James Parkinson, after whom the disease has been named, as one of the cardinal features of Parkinson’s disease. However, it is now recognized that bradykinesia is not exclusive to Parkinson’s disease since it may be a manifestation of other neurological disorders or as a side effect of certain medications.

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Pregnancy in a case of Parkinson’s disease is a rare phenomenon because of the obvious fact that Parkinson’s disease occurs most commonly in the elderly, when women are well past the age of menopause, or a woman who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may opt not to become pregnant. However, Parkinson’s disease does occur in the younger age group (early onset of Parkinson’s disease) in a small percentage of cases, and also the fact that women nowadays are opting to have children at a much later age, does increase the incidence of pregnancy in Parkinson’s disease.

There is evidence to show that the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may become aggravated during the course of pregnancy, most likely as a result of the circulating hormones during pregnancy. Various studies are currently being conducted to study the effects of medicines used in Parkinson’s disease on pregnancy.

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Since there is no definite diagnostic test to confirm the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, only proper history taking and examination of the patient for specific signs and symptoms can lead to diagnosis. The typical features of tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement) and loss of postural reflex which is present in Parkinson’s disease is also a feature of certain other diseases, so tests may need to be done to rule out these other disorders. New tests are constantly being developed for quicker and more conclusive diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease but currently, final diagnosis is widely based on that of the practitioner’s findings and discretion.

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One of the most significant symptoms noted in the early stage of Parkinson’s disease is the characteristic tremor, especially of the hands, often referred to as the Parkinson’s tremor. This is among the earliest symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and often the main reason why new sufferers seek medical treatment even if they had previously ignored other initial symptoms. A Parkinson’s tremor may vary from mild to severe and is initially noted in the hands, particularly the jaw, although other muscles may be affected, like the jaw muscles.

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