Over a quarter of people living with Parkinson’s were initially misdiagnosed, study finds

More than a quarter of people living with Parkinson’s were initially misdiagnosed, according to new research from charity Parkinson’s UK.

As part of the study, 2,000 people with Parkinson’s were asked a series of questions about their diagnosis. According to results, 26% of the participants were originally told they did not have Parkinson’s – with almost half of them being treated for a different condition.

The poll also found that women were more likely to be misdiagnosed than men.

Katie Goates, professional engagement manager at Parkinson’s UK, said: “One of the biggest challenges for Parkinson’s research is that there is no definitive test for Parkinson’s, and as a result we’ve heard of people being misdiagnosed with anything from a frozen shoulder or anxiety to a stroke.

“Our survey has shown that because of this people are being left in limbo and seeing their health deteriorate, which is unacceptable.”

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