What is Parkinson's & Movement Disorders?
Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, Huntington's disease — each of these movement disorders looks different and is treated differently. A movement-disorder specialist uses clinical exam patterns (resting vs action tremor, asymmetry, speed of onset) more than any single test.
When a second opinion really helps
- You were told 'probably Parkinson's' without a movement-disorder specialist confirming.
- Levodopa was started without establishing baseline UPDRS severity.
- You have advanced disease but DBS / focused ultrasound was never mentioned.
- Atypical features (early falls, early dementia, poor levodopa response) — you may have MSA/PSP, not PD.
Red flags — call 108 / 102 immediately
- Falls within first 2 years of symptoms (suspect PSP)
- Rapid cognitive decline with motor symptoms
- Loss of sense of smell preceding tremor (supportive for PD)
Frequently asked questions
Clinical. No blood test or MRI confirms it. A DaTscan can help rule out essential tremor, but diagnosis is made on history + exam by an experienced clinician.