Written by Agata Boxe | Last updated April 21, 2026

Fact-checked by Inês Martins, PhD

Explaining Parkinson’s disease to family and friends can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re still processing what the diagnosis means for you.

While Parkinson’s is generally known for visible symptoms such as tremors and stiffness, it can also bring less obvious challenges, including fatigue and cognitive changes.

Communicating about the condition with clarity and confidence can help to prevent misunderstandings and strengthen your support system.

Key points to share about Parkinson’s

Knowing what to share about Parkinson’s can help others understand your experience and find ways to support you. You want to provide enough detail without overwhelming your audience with too much information.

You can start by explaining that Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that primarily affects movement due to a loss of certain cells in the brain. This can lead to symptoms such as:

• tremors
• stiffness
• slowness of movement
• balance issues
• freezing of gait

However, you may also want to highlight that many Parkinson’s symptoms are not immediately apparent. The condition often also involves nonmotor symptoms, such as:

• fatigue
• emotional and mood changes
• cognitive changes
• hallucinations and delusions
• sleep problems

Another key point is that Parkinson’s affects people differently, so your symptoms and progression may not match someone else’s.

Additionally, consider sharing that symptoms can fluctuate, and some days may be more challenging than others. In fact, the severity and types of symptoms can vary within the same day.

Your friends and family may also want to know that there is currently no cure for the disease, but there are treatments that can help to manage symptoms and support quality of life.

Trial shows longer symptom control and fewer daily fluctuations

Written by Marisa Wexler, MS | April 20, 2026

• Crexont is an extended-release formulation of levodopa and carbidopa used to treat Parkinson’s symptoms.
• Switching to Crexont was linked to more good on time and less off time, as well as fewer motor fluctuations.
• Interim study results suggest switching therapies may improve daily symptom control in Parkinson’s patients.

People with Parkinson’s disease who switch from other formulations of levodopa to Crexont may experience improvements in daily symptom control, according to new data from an ongoing clinical trial.

“Crexont substantially increased [good on] time, reduced [off time], and improved motor function in [Parkinson’s] patients across all therapy groups, confirming that switching patients from other levodopa-based therapies to Crexont offers meaningful improvements in symptom control through the day,” the researchers wrote.

Findings presented at AAN highlight therapy switch

A team including scientists at Amneal Pharmaceuticals, the company that sells Crexont, presented the findings at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting, in a poster titled, “Switching to CREXONT Substantially Improves ‘Good On’ Time and Reduces Motor Fluctuations in Parkinson’s Disease: Interim Results from the Real-world ELEVATE-PD Phase Four Study.”

Parkinson’s is a neurological disease marked by the loss of brain cells that make a key signaling molecule called dopamine. Low dopamine levels disrupt normal brain signaling, ultimately leading to Parkinson’s symptoms.

Levodopa is a mainstay treatment for Parkinson’s that works by giving the brain more of the raw material it needs to make dopamine. It is often given in combination with other medications that help more levodopa reach the brain, such as carbidopa or COMT (catechol-o-methyl transferase) inhibitors.

Although levodopa can be effective for easing Parkinson’s symptoms, it may become less effective over time. This can lead to what is called off time, when symptoms aren’t well controlled between scheduled doses. Long-term use can also lead to dyskinesia, a side effect marked by uncontrolled, jerking movements.

Crexont is an extended-release formulation of levodopa and carbidopa designed to help maintain steady levels of the medication in the body, improve absorption, and extend its effects, which may allow for fewer daily doses. The therapy was approved in the U.S. in 2024.

Phase 4 study examines real-world use of Crexont

An ongoing, open-label Phase 4 clinical trial called ELEVATE-PD is evaluating the safety and efficacy of Crexont in people with Parkinson’s who switch to this new formulation from other levodopa-based therapies. At the AAN meeting, researchers presented interim data from the first 111 participants in the study.

Prior to entering ELEVATE-PD, most patients had been taking instant-release formulations of levodopa plus carbidopa. The study also included some patients taking levodopa plus COMT inhibitors, as well as those taking Rytary, another approved extended-release formulation of carbidopa and levodopa, sold by Amneal.

Upon entering the study, participants undergo a five-week period during which Crexont doses are adjusted, then receive treatment with the optimal dose for about a year.

The interim analyses indicated that patients switching to Crexont tended to experience a substantial increase in daily good on time, meaning periods when symptoms are well-controlled without problematic dyskinesia.

Written by Dr. C | March 19, 2021

Ever had one of those mornings when you wake up and look around, but you’re not sure where you are or how you got there? It used to happen regularly to me when I was a child sleeping overnight at my grandmother’s house.

But one time was different. I woke up in my own bed, but didn’t know how I got there. I distinctly remember falling asleep in the guest room. Maybe I was confused, still in that waking up brain fog. I walked to the guest room. There was my favorite pillow. I don’t sleep without it. Confirmation!

Yes, my body was hijacked, and I had no memory of it. That was a big shock.

Sleep and Parkinson’s disease

Sleep disturbances affect about 88% of people with a Parkinson’s diagnosis. Those like me who show evidence of damage to the other dopamine-producing area in the brain, the insular cortex, are most likely to have such problems. Sleep problems are also considered one of the early signs of the disease.

Dream movement and full-body hijacks

For years, I have experienced physical movements while dreaming. I would move my foot and leg in bed, as if I were “stepping up.” Perhaps mindful thoughts during the day that focused my movements to avoid stumbling now manifest as dreams. The brain likes to dream about things we dedicate attention to. This new full-body hijack was vastly different, but likely an exaggeration of the “stepping up” nocturnal motor movement. So far (knock on wood), it has only happened once.

Circadian confusion

The other issue is that my wake-sleep biochemical clock is malfunctioning. Late at night, when it is pitch black outside, my body acts as if it is the middle of the day. At midnight, I am filled with energy and ready to tackle life.

Circadian rhythm imbalances are also known to be associated with Parkinson’s patients like me who have insular cortex damage. Learning what this feels like, how it feels different than other body-brain sleep problems, and then putting in place strategies that improve sleep took several years.

Muscle pain and nighttime routines

On top of these organic brain problems is the ever-present muscle pain that increases in severity during sleep. There is night paralysis that the brain uses to make sure we don’t act out our dreams. This adds to the rigidity my muscles experience. I wake every three hours to stretch or meditate before I drift off back to sleep. It took several years to build this routine into a habitual sleep ritual.

Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Stephanie Watson — Updated on February 23, 2026

Key takeaways

• Parkinson’s tremor is an involuntary shaking that usually happens at rest and often stops with movement. It occurs due to reduced dopamine activity in the brain.
• Dyskinesia is an involuntary writhing, twisting, or fidgeting movement that can appear after years of levodopa use. Researchers think it may be related to dopamine level fluctuations from levodopa dosing.
• Tremor can be hard to treat and may require medication changes or deep brain stimulation (DBS). Dyskinesia may improve with levodopa dose adjustments, alternate drugs like dopamine agonists, amantadine, or DBS.

Tremor and dyskinesia are both involuntary movements. However, the movements are different and occur for different reasons in Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, there are many other causes of both tremors and dyskinesia.

Here’s how to tell if the involuntary movements you’re experiencing are tremors or dyskinesia.

What is tremor?

Tremor is a neurological symptom involving involuntary shaking of your limbs or face. It’s a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease and occurs due to a lack of action of the chemical dopamine in the brain. Dopamine activity in the brain helps maintain smooth and coordinated body movements.

The exact cause of Parkinson’s disease (PD) itself is unknown. But it may result from an interaction between:

• genetic mutations
• environmental triggers, such as exposure to certain toxins
• other factors, including damage to mitochondria in the brain

Other causes of tremor

Other health conditions besides PD can cause tremor. These can include:

• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• stroke
• certain medications, including corticosteroids and some asthma medications
• caffeine
• exposure to toxins, such as heavy metals
• overactive thyroid
• liver or kidney damage
• diabetes
• stress or fatigue

About 80% of people with PD experience tremors, and for some, it is the first indicator of PD. Parkinson’s tremor can occur in any part of your body, but it often starts first in the fingers.

Tremor in different parts of the body

Parkinson’s tremor may look different, depending on the part of the body affected. For instance:

• Jaw tremor: With a jaw tremor, your chin may appear to shiver, except the movement is slower. It may be intense enough to make your teeth click together. It usually goes away when you chew, and you can eat without a problem. Chewing gum may help.
• Facial tremor: This refers to a twitching of the face, such as the lips and jaw, when you’re at rest. It’s associated with older age and a longer duration of PD. One study reported that only 1.7%Trusted Source of the participants had facial tremor at the time of PD onset, but after 9 years, 14% of people with PD had facial tremor.
• Tongue tremor: This type of tremor rarely occurs as an early symptom and often develops after tremor in the body extremities, like the hands or feet. It happens when you’re at rest. If severe, it can make your head shake.
• Finger tremor: A finger tremor looks like a “pill rolling” motion. The thumb and another finger rub together in a circular motion, making you look like you’re rolling a pill between your fingers.
• Hand and arm tremor: The hand or arm may move at rest. This typically stops if you move it.
• Foot and leg tremor: Foot tremor can happen when lying down or your foot is dangling. The movement may affect the foot or the entire leg. The shaking usually stops when you stand up and doesn’t often interfere with walking.
• Head tremor: This type affects about 1% of people with PD. Sometimes, the head doesn’t shake on its own, but rather when the tremor of an arm affects the head.

A Parkinson’s tremor happens when your body is at rest. This is what distinguishes it from other types of shaking. Moving the affected limb often stops the tremor.

The tremor might start in one limb or side of your body and can eventually progress within that limb. For example, it can progress from your hand to your arm. The other side of your body may eventually shake, or the tremor could stay on just one side.

Tremor can worsen as PD progresses.