An accurate diagnosis for Parkinson’s disease is often complicated and delayed by an array of symptoms resembling other conditions, according to a new syndicated research study from Health Union.

The survey involved more than 1,100 individuals currently living with Parkinson’s disease and was released through Health Union’s newest online community, ParkinsonsDisease.net.  It finds patients are frustrated in coping with and treating a complex condition that encompasses many diverse symptoms.

As many as one million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease, a chronic disorder of the central nervous system that slowly worsens over time. Nerve cells in the brain die or become damaged, affecting levels of dopamine. It manifests with motor symptoms; such as diminished ability to move, tremors at rest, limb stiffness, and impaired balance. Non-motor symptoms may also be present, including reduced ability to smell, difficulty swallowing, pain, depression, and cognitive problems.

Survey respondents reported experiencing a variety of symptoms prior to diagnosis. Tremor or shaking was the most common at 72 percent. Other reported symptoms include: changes in walking or difficulty walking (42 percent), changes in handwriting called micrographia (40 percent), fatigue (37 percent), and reduced ability to smell (31 percent). Many of the symptoms, including tremor, can be present in other conditions, which can lead to misdiagnosis. About one-third of respondents initially received an improper diagnosis, including essential tremor (31 percent), depression/anxiety (27 percent), and benign essential tremor (15 percent).