Diagnosing Parkinson's disease can be a complicated process. Because there are no laboratory tests that can confirm you have the disease, your doctor will need to consider your medical history, assess your symptoms, and sometimes perform tests to rule out other conditions before making a Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
Parkinson’s Diagnosis: Seeing the Right Doctors
What causes Parkinson’s to develop in the first place is still a mystery, but scientists know that the disease process begins when the brain becomes deficient in a chemical called dopamine. With diminishing amounts of dopamine, a person with Parkinson’s will, among other issues, have trouble moving, experience tremors, and move more slowly. The disease typically affects people over 50 years of age.
To find out if you have Parkinson’s disease, you might want to consider visiting a neurologist — a doctor who specializes in disorders affecting the nervous system — especially a neurologist whose specialty is in movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.
You may also want to speak with a doctor who is familiar with new research and therapies for Parkinson's, as well as a gerontologist — a doctor who specializes in problems of the elderly.
Parkinson’s Diagnosis: Medical History
Because Parkinson's disease is a condition that gets worse over time, early diagnosis is essential, so you can start taking steps to reduce your symptoms and perhaps even slow the progression of the disease.
Your doctor will start by reviewing your medical historyand asking questions about other factors that may be contributing to your symptoms, such as the use of dopamine-blocking medications like Haldol (haloperidol) and Prolixin (fluphenazine).
Parkinson’s Diagnosis: Discussing Symptoms
Your doctor will also ask you, and perhaps family members or friends who accompany you to appointments, about the symptoms you have been experiencing. There are four primary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. To make a diagnosis, at least two of them must be present:
- Tremors at rest — shaking of a limb when you are not otherwise moving
- Rigidity — stiffness in your arms, legs, and trunk
- Bradykinesia — slowness of movement
- Postural instability — balance and coordination problems
If your symptoms are more pronounced on one side of your body than another, a Parkinson's diagnosis is even more likely.
Parkinson’s Diagnosis: Neurologic Examination
Your doctor will also perform a neurologic exam, which involves looking closely at your symptoms and having you do things like:
- Walking around the room
- Sitting down in a chair
- Returning to a standing position
- Turning around
- Tapping your index finger and thumb together
- Tapping your foot on the floor
- Relaxing while your doctor moves your neck, arms, and legs around
- Maintaining your balance while your doctor pulls you backwards
Parkinson’s Diagnosis: Tests Your Doctor May Order
No medical tests can specifically diagnose Parkinson's disease, but your doctor may order certain tests to rule out other conditions.
When your doctor suspects that another disease, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, may be the cause of your symptoms, her or she may order:
- Electroencephalogram (EEG). This test looks at the electrical activity in your brain.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans. These imaging tests let your doctor see detailed images of your brain.
- Blood or other laboratory tests. These tests may also help rule out other conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms.
When a Parkinson's Diagnosis Isn’t Definitive
Sometimes, even after a thorough medical history, neurologic exam, and the ruling out of other conditions, a Parkinson's diagnosis may still not be clear. This is because early symptoms of Parkinson's disease are often mild and could possibly be due to other, less serious conditions.
But if you do have Parkinson's disease, your symptoms will gradually progress, becoming worse over time and impacting your daily functioning. By working closely with your doctor to monitor your condition, you will be able to recognize whether symptoms worsen, and your doctor will be in a much better position to make an accurate diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.