A columnist shares a notable glossary of Parkinson’s disease terminology
Written by Mollie Lombardi | March 2, 2026
When you are diagnosed with a chronic and complex disease like Parkinson’s, it can be like learning a new language.
Words like “gait” (the body’s posture while walking), “dyskinesia” (uncontrolled, involuntary movements affecting the arms, legs, head, or whole body), “micrographia” (tiny handwriting), and other strange-sounding words suddenly show up in everyday conversation. It can feel like you’re a walking medical encyclopedia, not a person.
I’ve been there. So, in the spirit of solidarity, I’ve put together my own glossary of Parkinson’s disease terminology to share with you. Here it goes:
Hitch in your Giddyup: This is when you just can’t walk right and start to shuffle or drag a foot behind you. Instead of smooth movement, it looks like you have sand in your gears. It happens when you have balance and gait problems and slow movements, also called bradykinesia. It’s also how my husband described the changes he’d seen in me when we met with a neurologist for the first time. Usage: “She’s got a hitch in her giddyup, doc!”
Halulus: I wish I could take credit for this one, but it’s from the Apple TV series “Shrinking.” The show tells the story of a multigenerational group of friends, one of whom has Parkinson’s disease. This character, played by Harrison Ford, has hallucinations, which the others fondly refer to as “halulus.”
Parkinson’s disease-related psychosis, which includes hallucinations, affects 20%-40% of people with Parkinson’s. Usage: “I hope if I have halulus someday, I’m in a bath with Jason Momoa.”
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