Parkinson’s disease causes movement disorders like dyskinesia, but it can also cause nonmotor symptoms. These symptoms aren’t related to movement. Nonmotor symptoms are sometimes overlooked but can greatly affect daily life, including your emotional well-being and communication with friends and family.

We’ll talk about seven common nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, including what each of those symptoms feels like and how they may be treated to help make everyday life a little easier.

1. Mental Health Problems

Research has shown that anxiety and depression have the greatest impact on the overall health of people with Parkinson’s. Both depression and anxiety can show up at any point during the disease, even before a diagnosis of Parkinson’s.

Anxiety can be caused by Parkinson’s itself, which leads to changes in brain chemistry. Up to 40 percent of people with Parkinson’s experience one of the following types of anxiety:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder, known as OCD
• Panic attacks (anxiety attacks)
• Social anxiety disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder

“My husband had major anxiety after his diagnosis. We left restaurants many times after being seated. Counseling was a huge help,” one MyParkinsonsTeam member wrote.

Treatment for anxiety might include medication, therapy, complementary therapy (like relaxation strategies and music therapy), or a combination of these.

Research from Parkinson’s Foundation has found that depression is also very common, affecting at least half of people with Parkinson’s. Depression can last for weeks or more. Depression can also be caused by Parkinson’s, which affects brain chemicals that have to do with mood, energy levels, and motivation.

Symptoms of depression can be mild or severe and are different in everyone. Some common symptoms include but aren’t limited to:

• Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or worthlessness
• Sadness that doesn’t go away
• Lack of motivation or interest in activities you usually enjoy (apathy)
• Fatigue or low energy
• Changes in appetite
• Feelings of guilt or being a burden to loved ones or caregivers
• Sleep problems (sleeping either too little or too much)
• Thoughts of suicide

Depression may be treated with a combination of antidepressant medication and therapy along with lifestyle changes, like getting more exercise and seeking social support.

2. Fatigue and Sleep Problems

Fatigue is common among people with Parkinson’s and often shows up early on in the disease but can happen at any point. Fatigue with Parkinson’s can feel like extreme exhaustion that makes movement seem impossible. “Some days, I feel I get nothing done because all I want to do is nap,” one member shared.

Sleep problems affect the majority of people with Parkinson’s and can contribute to fatigue. Sleep problems with Parkinson’s are caused by the way Parkinson’s affects the brain or may be a side effect of some Parkinson’s medications. You might notice sleep problems before motor symptoms. Some common sleep problems include:

• Trouble falling and staying asleep (insomnia)
• Restless legs syndrome
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Shallow or paused breathing that interrupts sleep
• Physically or verbally acting out your dreams (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)

Although there are no effective treatments for fatigue, there are some ways to fight it. For example, your health care provider might adjust your medication doses if they’re making you tired. In addition, your doctor may recommend treating other Parkinson’s symptoms that contribute to fatigue, like sleep problems.

3. Cognitive and Behavioral Changes

People with Parkinson’s may experience cognitive impairment, like issues with thinking and memory. Cognitive changes might also include difficulty staying focused, finding the right words, or problem-solving. Cognitive problems may develop into dementia as Parkinson’s progresses.

Parkinson’s or Parkinson’s medications might also cause behavioral changes, like irritability and impulsivity.

Parkinson’s-related dementia, delirium, and medications can also cause psychotic episodes like hallucinations and delusions. Between 20 percent and 40 percent of people with Parkinson’s experience hallucinations or delusions. It’s even more common as Parkinson’s progresses.

Medication and behavioral management strategies are used to treat cognitive changes. Certain antipsychotic medications may be used to treat psychosis in Parkinson’s.

4. Pain

More than 80 percent of people with Parkinson’s experience pain, and for some, it’s their worst symptom. Common types of pain with Parkinson’s include:

• Pain in the muscles and bones
• Sharp pain or tingling and numbness from crushed nerves
• Painful muscle spasms
• Pain in certain areas of the body or all over

Some people with Parkinson’s may also experience abdominal pain and joint pain. Because joint pain is a normal part of the aging process, it can be hard to know if it’s directly caused by Parkinson’s.

Pain with Parkinson’s may be ongoing and make it harder to do everyday activities. Treating pain in Parkinson’s depends on what’s causing the pain. For example, muscle relaxants may reduce pain caused by muscle spasms. A personalized exercise plan made by a physical therapist can help with most pain, including pain in the muscles and bones.

5. Bathroom Issues

Constipation is common among people with Parkinson’s. It usually shows up before motor symptoms and is often an ongoing problem throughout the disease. In addition to not having a bowel movement for days, constipation symptoms might include bloating, straining to poop, and not feeling done after pooping. Constipation with Parkinson’s might be caused by nerve changes that make it harder to push food through the gastrointestinal tract.

Constipation can be treated with diet and exercise, but for some people, medications like laxatives may be needed.

Problems with urinating are also common among people with Parkinson’s, including a frequent and urgent need to pee. Studies from the Parkinson’s Foundation have found that about 30 percent to 40 percent of people with Parkinson’s experience problems with urinating. Urinary incontinence (leaking pee) may also occur with Parkinson’s, but it’s less common. Urinating problems can be treated with medication and may need expert help from a bladder specialist.

6. Problems With Sex

Sexual problems are common among people with Parkinson’s, more often for men than women, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Parkinson’s disease itself might cause sexual dysfunction because it leads to decreased dopamine, which is important for feeling pleasure. In addition, some Parkinson’s medications, like dopamine agonists, affect sex drive.

Problems with sex due to Parkinson’s include:

• Low libido (lack of desire to have sex)
• Difficulty with movements during sex
• Inability to orgasm
• Erectile dysfunction
• Very high sex drive or compulsive sex drive

Treating sexual problems with Parkinson’s often involves both partners, such as with sex therapy or couples therapy.

7. Speech and Swallowing Problems

Parkinson’s can lead to speech and swallowing problems. This is because Parkinson’s affects the nervous system and causes problems with the nerves and muscles used for speech and swallowing.

Between 75 percent and 90 percent of people with Parkinson’s will develop speech problems. Speech problems are often one of the earliest signs of Parkinson’s. Problems with speaking can make everyday conversations difficult. Speech problems may include:

• Speaking quietly
• Having a monotone voice
• Stuttering, stammering, or mumbling
• Slurring words

Swallowing also becomes harder for many people with Parkinson’s. Swallowing problems can be mild or severe. For example, it might just take longer to finish eating or it can be more serious like choking. “I choke all the time and lose my voice too. My husband used to say I hollered at him. Now he can’t even hear me speak,” one member shared.

The primary treatment option for speech and swallowing problems is working with a speech-language pathologist. They can recommend communication devices to help with a soft voice and exercises to strengthen swallowing muscles.

It’s important to talk to a health care professional if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms so that they can get you on a treatment plan to help you feel better and make a difference in your quality of life.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyParkinsonsTeam is the social network for people with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones. On MyParkinsonsTeam, more than 102,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with Parkinson’s disease.

Do you have nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s? How do they affect your everyday life? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.