Parkinson’s Terms Explained: A Patient Friendly Glossary for Symptoms
- vitalityptnc
- Mar 30
- 3 min read
This glossary breaks down common Parkinson’s terms into plain language so you can feel more confident asking questions, making decisions, and understanding your care.
Why a Parkinson’s glossary matters
Make sense of what your neurologist, therapist, and other providers are saying.
Understand test results, visit summaries, and online information.
Communicate better with family and care partners about symptoms and treatment.
4 Cardinal Signs of PD
#1 - Tremor
Involuntary, rhythmic shaking that typically appears when the affected body part is at rest and often starts on one side of the body, most commonly in the hand or fingers
#2 - Bradykinesia
Slowness of movement. This is one of the hallmark motor symptoms of Parkinson’s and often appears as smaller, slower steps, reduced arm swing, or taking longer to complete everyday tasks.
"Gratitude makes optimism sustainable," – Michael J. Fox, noting that even as symptoms progress, more tremor, more rigidity, more difficulty walking, staying focused on what he can still do helps him keep moving forward.
#3 - Rigidity
Muscle stiffness that makes it harder to move the arms, legs, neck, or trunk. Clinicians often feel a “cogwheel” or ratchety quality when they gently move your limbs during an exam.
#4 - Postural Instability
Difficulty maintaining balance, particularly when turning, stopping, or standing up. This is a major reason why people with Parkinson’s are at higher risk for falls and why targeted balance and strength training are so important.
#5 - Freezing of Gait (FoG)
A sudden, brief inability to move the feet forward, as if they are “stuck” to the floor. This often happens when starting to walk, turning, approaching doorways, or in crowded spaces and can raise fall risk.
#6 - On/Off Time
“On time”: medication is working and symptoms are relatively controlled.
“Off time”: medication has worn off, and symptoms like stiffness and slowness return or worsen.
#7 - Dyskinesia
Involuntary, fidgety, or writhing movements that can develop after years of levodopa use, often when medication levels are at their peak. These movements are a side effect of treatment rather than a direct symptom of the disease.
#8 - Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
A surgical treatment where thin electrodes are placed in specific areas of the brain and connected to a small device (similar to a pacemaker) placed under the skin in the chest. This device sends electrical signals that can help control symptoms like tremor, stiffness, and motor fluctuations when medications are not enough.
#9 - Mask Face
Facial muscles stiff and slow, so the face looks less animated and expressive than the person actually feels inside. People may appear blank, serious, or sad, have less blinking, and find it harder to smile or show emotion with their face, which can lead others to misread their mood or think they are disinterested
How Vitality Physical Therapy fits into your Parkinson’s journey
Knowing the language of Parkinson’s is powerful but pairing that knowledge with targeted, evidence‑based movement is where real life change happens. At Vitality Physical Therapy, we focus on:
Parkinson’s‑specific exercise programs to improve walking, balance, and confidence.
Strategies for freezing, festination, posture, and fall prevention.
Education for you and your care partners so unfamiliar terms become clear, practical tools you can act on.
If a term shows up in your neurology note or test report and you’re not sure what it means, bring it up in your next visit. We’ll break it down in everyday language and show you what it means for your movement, safety, and independence.
This blog is for general education only and does not replace medical advice. Always talk with your neurologist or movement disorder specialist about your specific diagnosis, medications, and treatment plan.
Comments