Parkinson’s Disease

Signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the nation. Typical symptoms usually include:

• Slowness of movement in hands and feet
• Slowness in performing typical daily activities
• Muscle stiffness
• Difficulty with fine motor skills
• Feeling weak
• Tremor
• Balance problems or frequent falls
• Change in posture
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Difficulties multitasking
• Constipation
• Dream enactment behavior

When to seek care for Parkinson’s

Seek medical care if you notice stiffness, slow movement, balance problems and any difficulty with coordinating physical movement. Our experts at the UCI Health Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program can help you with diagnosis and management of this condition.

Parkinson’s diagnosis at UCI Health

We most commonly diagnose Parkinson’s in adults over age 50, but sometimes it occurs in people in their early 20s. Because many conditions resemble Parkinson’s, doctors will sometimes use a combination of tests to rule out other conditions. Our tests include: 

We also use a special diagnostic tool at UCI Health, a movement neurophysiology lab. It is a step above a normal physiology lab because it helps us to differentiate between movement disorders that look very similar.

How to work with us

Please come in for an evaluation at the UCI Health Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program if you have:

• Difficulties with daily activities like writing, using utensils or dressing
• Lagging behind when walking
• Stiff muscles that feel weak, sometimes with associated pain
• Tremor when resting
• Balance issues 
• A tendency to fall down

Our fellowship-trained neurologists have the capability to distinguish between Parkinson’s, atypical Parkinsonism, and other movement disorders. 

Parkinson’s disease treatment at UCI Health

Patients with Parkinson’s disease are not all the same. Our clinicians will tailor a treatment plan that works best based on your unique needs and medical assessment. While there’s no cure to halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease, we work across multiple modalities and with many specialists to ease your symptoms.

Medications

The purpose of most Parkinson’s disease medications is symptom management. Because low dopamine levels are associated with this illness, drugs like Levodopa and many others increase or mimic an increase in your dopamine levels. 

We may also provide medications to alleviate:

• depression 
• hallucinations 
• constipation 
• erectile dysfunction  
• daytime sleepiness
• fatigue

Surgery

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a powerful surgical tool. It involves implanting small electrodes in your brain to generate an electrical current to a targeted area. This procedure results in increased mobility and reduced tremor, improving your daily functioning and quality of life.

Rehabilitation therapies

To address movement- and non-movement-related difficulties, we may recommend the following rehab therapies:

• physical 
• pelvic floor 
• speech 
• occupational
• cognitive stimulation

We also encourage you to engage in social interaction for its therapeutic benefits.

Why choose UCI Health for Parkinson’s disease care?

Our clinical trials help you and future patients

At UCI Health, we run hundreds of clinical trials across the full spectrum of medicine. Because there is no cure yet for Parkinson’s, we’re committed to probing every new frontier that could accelerate care.

We periodically research drug, gene and stem cell therapies targeting Parkinson’s disease. If you qualify, you may get access to research interventions that are not yet widely available.

We make sure you’re safe outside the hospital

A big concern with all movement disorders including Parkinson’s is managing balance, gait and walking issues. Keeping you safe and preventing falls is a very important treatment goal. 

Besides surgery and medication, we have physical therapists to help increase the range and fullness of your movements. This improves safety while sitting, standing and walking.

We require a referral for Parkinson's speech language and occupational therapy services. To learn more, call 714-456-5571.

Our Parkinson's Wellness Program offers weekly classes

If Parkinson’s symptoms are making it hard to move and think, these evidence-based weekly classes will give you some relief. Our therapists have specialized training in Parkinson’s and neurologic rehabilitation. We tailor the program to meet your needs once you’ve completed physical and/or occupational therapy.