Symptoms are the characteristics, sensation or change of bodily function, associated with a particular disease and are considered to be evidence of the disease’s presence. Parkinson’s symptoms can be classified as follows:
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motor - involving movement, such as tremor, freezing and rigidity
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non-motor - not related to movement, such as fatigue, depression, sleep disturbance and sweating
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primary - the most noticeable or significant symptoms, of which it is accepted that there are three (which also all happen to be motor symptoms): tremor, rigidity or stiffness and slowness of movement (bradykinesia). Because balance and posture is also affected as Parkinson’s progresses, postural imbalance is often quoted as the fourth primary symptom
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secondary - less obvious, although they may still have an impact on quality of life, and can be either motor or non-motor.
Symptoms tend to appear gradually, normally in just one side of the body at first, although both sides will be affected as Parkinson's progresses. Each person will encounter different symptoms, in terms of severity and rate of progression, and there may be fluctuations from day to day, with 'good' and 'bad' days being experienced.
