14 Signs That May Be Parkinson’s Disease

6. Difficulty Swallowing, Chewing, Speaking

As the condition advances, swallowing may become significantly hampered, enabling food or fluids to enter the lungs and cause aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia is the primary cause of mortality in people with Parkinson’s disease.

Any changes in swallowing should be noted since there is a chance to intervene early and maintain both health and quality of life. A speech-language pathologist and a physician work together to treat swallowing difficulties.