What Happens

The symptoms and the course of Parkinson's disease can vary a great deal from person to person. There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. However, drugs, surgery, exercise, and lifestyle changes can relieve some symptoms of the disease.

Emotions may also affect symptoms. Anxiety, tension, and unhappiness may make symptoms worse. Relaxing usually reduces symptoms. Sometimes during stress, a person with Parkinson's disease has a "paradoxical outburst." This results in a short symptom-free period when the person may be able to move normally.

Treatment may help control symptoms during the early stages of Parkinson's disease and is usually started as soon as symptoms begin to affect a person's ability to work or do daily activities. For instance, a right-handed person with tremor only on the left side may not feel limited by the symptoms and may not feel the need to take drugs until symptoms get worse. A person who cannot do his or her job because of symptoms may want to begin treatment sooner than someone who does not work or whose symptoms do not affect his or her ability to work.

• Symptoms of Parkinson's disease typically begin appearing between the ages 50 and 60. They develop slowly and often go unnoticed by family, friends, and even the person who has them.
• A small number of people have symptoms on only one side of the body that never progress to the other side.

Drugs can control symptoms to some extent, but as the disease progresses, drugs may become less effective. Parkinson's disease also can cause a variety of complications as it advances.