This Silent Symptom Could Be An Early Sign Of Parkinson’s Disease

There are many early warning signs of Parkinson’s disease – sleep problems, reduced sense of smell, smaller handwriting, needing to urinate more without warning, and tremors, to name but a few. 

But one lesser discussed symptom is constipation. 

In fact, studies involving over 700,000 people show that constipation – defined as passing stools fewer than three times a week, straining to pass stools and experiencing pain when doing so – can be an early indicator of the illness, appearing up to a decade before diagnosis.

The issue can cause stools to be large and dry or hard and lumpy, and can lead to stomach pains and nausea, too.

The link between Parkinson’s disease and constipation

Around 145,000 people in the UK are living with Parkinson’s disease, which causes the brain to become more damaged over many years.

It is most often characterised by involuntary shaking, slow movement and inflexible, stiff muscles.

People who have Parkinson’s disease are deficient in dopamine – the chemical in the brain responsible for helping nerve cells communicate with one another.

This deficiency leads to the slowed motor symptoms that often characterise the disease.

It can also be responsible for reduced muscle movement associated with digestion and the rectal sphincter responsible for incomplete emptying of a bowel movement. 

According to studies, constipation is experienced by over 60% of Parkinson’s disease patients. What’s more, around a quarter of patients had constipation before the onset of motor symptoms.

Additionally, research suggests that constipation severity early in the condition could be linked to a faster onset of dementia in Parkinson’s disease patients.

While most people with Parkinson’s first develop the disease after 60, some 5-10% experience onset before the age of 50.

How to treat constipation

If you’re experiencing ongoing issues with constipation, it’s crucial that you speak to your GP as this could be an indicator of other health issues.

In the meantime, there are some things you can do to help improve movements, according to the NHS:

• Make changes to your diet including drinking plenty of fluids and water,
• Increase the fibre in your diet,
• Don’t delay going to the toilet if you need to poo,
• To make it easier to poo, rest your feet on a low stool while going to the toilet and if possible, raise your knees above your hips,
• Exercise regularly – even a daily walk or run can help you go more regularly.