The Parkinson’s symptom you can hear – and 3 other signs you must know

PARKINSON is a disease that affects the brain and is damaged over many years.

There is no cure for the condition, but identifying signs early could help manage the condition.

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Now experts have said it may be easier than ever to spot these signs as a new tell-tale symptom has been discovered.

Medics in Lithuania said you might hear one of the first signs of Parkinson’s.

The Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) team said this could manifest itself in the early stages of the disease.

Her research found that patients with early-stage Parkinson’s tend to speak in a quieter, more monotonous tone.

To test this, the medics used artificial intelligence to analyze speech patterns of people speaking Lithuanian.

The participants were placed in a soundproof booth, where a microphone recorded the speech of people with and without Parkinson’s.

An algorithm then listened to the speech to detect the subtle changes that the human ear might not be able to detect.

The medics also found that people with Parkinson’s may also speak more slowly and fragmentedly.

Rytis Maskeliūnas, a researcher at Kaunas University of Technology, said: “We are not creating a substitute for a routine examination of the patient – our method is designed to facilitate early detection of the disease and track the effectiveness of treatment.”

While the experts noted that a change in speech could be a symptom, the NHS states there are three main signs of the condition.

These are:

1. involuntary shaking of certain parts of the body, known as tremors
2. slow movement
3. stiff and inflexible muscles

The guidelines state that a person with this condition may also experience a variety of other physical and psychological symptoms.

This could include depression and anxiety, as well as balance issues, which the NHS says could make falling more likely.

Other signs may include loss of smell, trouble sleeping, or memory problems.

Around 145,000 people in the UK are currently living with Parkinson’s, according to government data.

The lifetime risk of developing Parkinson’s disease is 2.7 percent.

That equates to one in 37 people being diagnosed at some point in their lives, according to data from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

If you are concerned about any of your symptoms, you should see your GP.

During the appointment you will be asked about the problems you are having and you may be referred for further testing.

It is treated with supportive treatments such as physical therapy and occupational therapy.

You may also be prescribed medication and in some cases you may need brain surgery, according to the NHS.