Parkinson’s disease is a condition that causes the brain to become progressively more damaged over time, said the NHS. It’s caused by a loss of nerve cells in a specific part of the brain. These nerve cells are used to help send messages between the brain and the nervous system. Parkinson’s disease symptoms tend to develop gradually, and only appear as mild at first. Bladder problems are common in Parkinson’s disease patients, and you could be at risk of the condition if you pass more urine than normal, it’s been revealed.
Between 30 and 40 per cent of all Parkinson’s disease patients develop urinary symptoms, according to charity the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Feeling the urge to pass urine more than normal is one of the most common types of urinary symptoms in Parkinson’s patients, it said.
Everyone passes a different amount of urine, and there’s no ‘normal’. But, you could have a frequency problem if you need to use the toilet more than seven times in a day, based on drinking around two litres of fluid, said the Bladder & Bowel Community.
“Parkinson’s disease has many features that have little or nothing to do with movement,” said the Parkinson’s Foundation.
“Among these non-motor symptoms are problems with the autonomic nervous system — the part of the nervous system that controls ‘automatic’ bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, sexual function and both gastrointestinal and urinary function.
“The most common urinary symptoms experienced by people with Parkinson’s are the need to urinate frequently, and trouble delaying urination once the need is perceived, creating a sense of urinary urgency.”
The Bladder & Bowel Community added: “As with many things in life, everyone is different. This also applies to normal urinary frequency.
For most people, the normal number of times to urinate per day is between six and seven in a 24-hour period. Between four and 10 times a day can also be normal if that person is healthy and happy with the number of times they visit the toilet.”
You should speak to a doctor if you’re worried about how often you pass urine, and if it’s starting to affect your day-to-day life, it said.
Meanwhile, you could also be at risk of Parkinson’s disease if you’ve noticed you’re losing your sense of smell.
Loss of smell, or hyposmia, is a common symptom in most Parkinson’s patients, although it’s not entirely known what causes the condition.
Early symptoms of Parkinson’s tend to be very mild, and they may go unnoticed for a long period of time.
But, the most common Parkinson’s disease symptoms to look out for include tremors, restricted movement, and muscle stiffness.
It could also lead to balance problems, nerve pain, constipation, excessive sweating, and blurred vision.
Speak to a GP if you’re worried about the signs or symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Most patients develop symptoms after their turn 50 years old, and there are around 127,000 people in the UK with Parkinson’s disease.