Because the symptoms of Parkinson's vary and often overlap other conditions, it is misdiagnosed up to 30% of the time, Dr. Fernandez says. Misdiagnosis is even more common in the early stages.
Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition. But Parkinson's progresses differently, with symptoms varying from person to person. Diagnosing Parkinson's can take some time, and there is currently no definitive test for diagnosis. This means that misdiagnosis is common.
Progressive supranuclear palsy is rare. It may be easily mistaken for Parkinson disease, which is much more common and has similar symptoms. But with PSP, speech and difficulty swallowing are usually affected more significantly than with Parkinson disease.
Symptoms in patients with slowly growing or benign brain tumors may mimic those of idiopathic Parkinson's disease and can be misdiagnosed.
There isn't a specific test to diagnose Parkinson's disease. A doctor trained in nervous system conditions (neurologist) will diagnose Parkinson's disease based on your medical history, a review of your signs and symptoms, and a neurological and physical examination.
Recent studies have found that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to help find and diagnose Parkinson's much earlier than other methods. MRIs look for specific markers in the brain that can indicate Parkinson's. Often, these markers are present even before symptoms of Parkinson's begin.
Multiple system atrophy – the cousin of Parkinson's disease.
Because the symptoms of Parkinson's vary and often overlap other conditions, it is misdiagnosed up to 30% of the time, Dr. Fernandez says. Misdiagnosis is even more common in the early stages.
The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder may also cause stiffness or slowing of movement.
Only 8 out of 10 patients with parkinsonism have a valid diagnosis. Low diagnostic accuracy is particularly relevant in the early stages of disease and presumably in older patients.
For early-stage study participants, generally, sensitivity was 70% and specificity was 80%. Overall, the blood test showed equal accuracy as the spinal fluid test when diagnosing Parkinson's or an atypical parkinsonism disorder, in both early and later stages of disease.
When faced with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), it is understandable to feel depressed or anxious. But mood disorders such as depression and anxiety are clinical symptoms of Parkinson's, just as are slowness of movement and tremor.
Other causes for tremors include hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytoma, Wilson's disease (a rare condition in which copper accumulates in the brain and liver) and other disorders. An evaluation by a neurologist familiar with movement disorders will help distinguish essential tremor from Parkinson disease.
It's usually diagnosed in people who are in their early 60s. People who are diagnosed before age 50 are said to have early onset Parkinson's. About 4 percent of the approximately 1 million Americans with Parkinson's are diagnosed before age 50.
Parkinson's disease is progressive: It gets worse over time. The primary Parkinson's disease symptoms — tremors, rigid muscles, slow movement (bradykinesia), and difficulty balancing — may be mild at first but will gradually become more intense and debilitating.
While people are diagnosed with Parkinson's at an average age of 60, anything younger than 50 is considered young-onset Parkinson's, or YOPD.
According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, patients usually begin developing Parkinson's symptoms around age 60 and many live between 10 and 20 years after being diagnosed.
Stage 1 is the mildest form of Parkinson's. At this stage, there may be symptoms, but they're not severe enough to interfere with daily tasks and overall lifestyle. In fact, the symptoms are so minimal at this stage that they're often missed.
Medical experts believe that environmental causes may help trigger Parkinson's disease. Exposure to farming chemicals, like pesticides and herbicides; Vietnam-era exposure to Agent Orange; and working with heavy metals, detergents and solvents have all been implicated and studied for a clearer link.
CT scan / MRI scan
Neither scan can confirm whether you have Parkinson's disease but they can help doctors rule out other conditions which could potentially be causing your symptoms. (You might like to read our Brain and spine scans fact sheet for further information.)
There is not a specific lab or imaging test that can diagnose PD. However, certain tests such as magnetic resonance imaging of the brain (MRI brain), a dopamine transporter scan (DaT scan), or blood work can be used to support the diagnosis of PD or to rule out other medical conditions that can mimic PD.
In contrast to normal adult gait, Parkinsonian Gait – also called Parkinson's Walk – is characterized by very short, shuffling steps, in which the feet do not lift far from the floor.
Misconception: Symptoms are the same from day to day. Reality: Parkinson's symptoms can vary daily and even hourly. Levodopa, the "gold standard" medicine for Parkinson's, can wear off before it's time for another dose. Sleep patterns, fatigue and mood can also be unpredictable with the disease.