Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the brain and nervous system. This progressive disease is often characterized by a person’s ability to move. Like most medical conditions, the earlier this disease is identified, the better the outcome. A new study revealed two new early signs of the disease – epilepsy and hearing loss.
Understanding Parkinson’s Disease
Currently, there is no official test a doctor can order to diagnose Parkinson’s disease. Instead, doctors review a patient’s medical history, looking for multiple symptoms that directly relate to the disease. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease involve motor control issues, including:
- Stiffness of the limbs or trunk.
- Slowness of movement.
- Tremors in the hands, arms, legs, jaw or head.
- Impaired coordination or balance.
Being able to identify non-motor symptoms can help doctors make a diagnosis earlier. Some of the many non-motor issues include:
- Constipation
- Low blood sugar
- Memory problems
- Depression and anxiety
- Drooling
- Decreased ability to smell
- Changes in vision
- Sleep problems
New Research Connecting Hearing Loss to Parkinson’s Disease
Published in the March 2022 issue of JAMA Neurology, the study entitled “Assessment of Risk Factors and Early Presentations of Parkinson Disease in Primary Care in a Diverse UK Population” looked to identify risk factors and prediagnostic presentation of Parkinson’s disease.
The researchers examined medical records of more than one million participants living in East London between 1990 and 2018. Their research revealed two key findings:
- Having epilepsy was associated with a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
- Hearing loss is likely to appear five years before a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
More research is needed to better understand these relationships, as it is important to understand the underlying mechanism for this link.
Importance of This Research
According to lead study author Dr. Cristina Simonet, “It’s important that primary care practitioners are aware of these links and understand how early the symptoms of Parkinson’s can appear, so that patients can get a timely diagnosis.”
In addition to epilepsy and hearing loss, the study also noted tremors and memory problems – common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease – may be seen up to 10 years before a diagnosis is made. “This is too long for patients to wait,” remarked Dr. Simonet in the recent press release.
Additional information about Parkinson’s disease is available online at or in person at meetings for Montana Parkinson’s Support Groups. To learn more about how to treat hearing loss or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, contact Western Montana Hearing and Speech today.