Early Parkinson’s symptoms misdiagnosed for years, Terry Crews’ wife reveals

Parkinson’s illness astir commonly affects older adults, with the mean property of onset successful the aboriginal to mid-60s. However, a smaller subset of patients make early-onset symptoms earlier property 50.

Former NFL linebacker Terry Crews' wife, Rebecca King Crews, 60, precocious announced that she’s been battling Parkinson's illness for implicit a decade. She archetypal began noticing symptoms successful 2012 and was diagnosed successful 2015.

During an quality connected Monday's occurrence of "Today," King Crews got candid astir surviving with the illness and shared however a recently approved process has helped negociate her symptoms.

EARLY PARKINSON’S COULD BE DETECTED DECADES BEFORE SYMPTOMS WITH SIMPLE BLOOD TEST

King Crews elaborate however she had "some flimsy numbness" successful her near nutrient astatine first. Her trainer besides noticed a deficiency of plaything successful her limb erstwhile she walked.

"Then I woke up 1 greeting and my manus was shaking," she recalled. "I said, 'Now that's a tremor,' due to the fact that my grandma had tremors. So I went to the doctor, and helium told me, 'Oh, you're having anxiety, you'll beryllium fine.'"

Terry Crews' wife, Rebecca King Crews, archetypal noticed symptoms of Parkinson's illness successful 2012. She was officially diagnosed successful 2015. (Getty Images)

King Crews, who is besides a bosom crab survivor, said she visited aggregate doctors earlier receiving her Parkinson’s diagnosis.

Prevalence of aboriginal Parkinson's

It is not communal to spot Parkinson’s illness successful radical nether 50 years old, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, with lone 2% of radical diagnosed earlier than property 40.

The Parkinson’s Foundation has reported that astir 4% of each cases statesman earlier property 50, with the incidence of illness expanding with age.

COMMON SLEEP PROBLEM TIED TO SERIOUS NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER IN MAJOR NEW STUDY

An estimated 1.1 cardinal Americans are surviving with Parkinson's, and that fig is expected to emergence to 1.2 cardinal by 2030.

Symptoms thin to make dilatory implicit time, usually including tremors, musculus stiffness, dilatory question and equilibrium problems, according to Dr. Zachary Jordan, a neurologist astatine The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Patients with young-onset Parkinson’s illness (YOPD) are much apt to acquisition involuntary musculus contractions called dystonia, which occurs successful antithetic parts of the body. (iStock)

Patients with young-onset Parkinson’s illness (YOPD) are much apt to acquisition involuntary musculus contractions called dystonia, which occurs successful antithetic parts of the body, Jordan told Fox News Digital.

People with YOPD besides study much involuntary assemblage movements, but little predominant dementia-related symptoms. These patients thin to acquisition a slower progression implicit time, usually staying functional and "cognitively intact" for overmuch longer.

Dr. Joel Salinas, a Harvard-trained behavioral neurologist and main aesculapian serviceman astatine Isaac Health, shared that Parkinson's "often announces itself subtly."

TERRY CREWS' WIFE REVEALS SHE BATTLED PARKINSON'S IN SECRET FOR YEARS BEFORE FINDING HOPE IN NEW TREATMENT

"Many radical don't recognize however galore non-motor symptoms tin look early, sometimes adjacent earlier the question issues: changes successful handwriting (getting smaller and much cramped), reduced consciousness of smell, slumber disturbances, constipation, and a brushed oregon monotone voice," helium said successful an interrogation with Fox News Digital.

Since aboriginal signs are truthful varied, Parkinson's is often misdiagnosed successful its archetypal stages, Salinas said, conscionable arsenic King Crews' aboriginal symptoms were dismissed.

When it comes to uncovering a cure for Parkinson's, Rebecca King Crews remains hopeful for the future. (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet and Chandon)

The origin of Parkinson's is unknown, though YOPD cases are "slightly much likely" to beryllium genetic, Johns Hopkins reports.

Growing probe has linked early-onset Parkinson's to biology exposures, specified arsenic pesticides and definite chemicals, arsenic good arsenic caput trauma, according to Salinas.

Taking action

Although determination is nary proven prevention for Parkinson's, Salinas pointed to "strong evidence" that regular workout whitethorn assistance dilatory illness progression.

There are immoderate medications and therapies for Parkinson's, including the caller FDA-approved attraction King Crews has undergone, called bilateral-focused ultrasound.

Men are diagnosed with Parkinson's astatine astir 1.5 times the complaint of women overall, but women with early-onset illness are sometimes underdiagnosed due to the fact that their symptoms get attributed to different causes, similar anxiousness oregon hormonal changes, an adept said. (iStock)

The attraction uses a instrumentality called Exablate Neuro to "deliver ultrasound waves to targeted areas connected some sides of the encephalon progressive successful Parkinson's question symptoms, each guided by MRI," Salinas shared.

The FDA approved the therapy successful July 2025 to dainty some broadside of the brain, six months apart. Salinas called it a "meaningful beforehand for the close patients."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

"It is non-invasive (no incisions, nary hazard of surgical bleeding), which makes it an appealing enactment compared to heavy encephalon stimulation for patients who qualify," helium said.

While focused ultrasound is not a cure, it represents a "category of intervention," according to Salinas.

While focused ultrasound is not a cure, it represents a "category of intervention," according to an expert. (iStock)

The procedure, which is presently indicated for patients with precocious Parkinson’s centrifugal symptoms, is costly – and is not consistently covered by insurance.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"I would promote patients to inquire their question upset specializer if they are a campaigner and to advocator for security coverage, due to the fact that this exertion deserves to beryllium broadly available," Salinas advised.

"Don't endure successful soundlessness – get to a specializer and enactment engaged with what's coming, due to the fact that the scenery is changing fast."

Given the ongoing probe into neuroprotective therapies for Parkinson's, "there is existent crushed for optimism," said Salinas.

"Don't endure successful soundlessness – get to a specializer and enactment engaged with what's coming, due to the fact that the scenery is changing fast."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.