Both Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis have a lot of similarities and are often confused as one and the same. Certain symptoms like a tremor in the hands are similar, but there are a lot of other symptoms that make them completely two different diseases. What most people do not realize is that one can have both these diseases at the same time.

It is a mere coincidence that a few people have both multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Both these diseases affect the central nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord. While the former is a neurodegenerative and autoimmune disease that is not very common, the latter is a neurodegenerative disease mostly affecting adults over 60 years of age.

Similarities between the two 

CNS
CNS or Central Nervous System includes the spinal cord and the brain. And thus the reasons why both of these diseases affect the way a person feels, talks, moves and sleeps.

Nerves
Other than CNS, both of these diseases affect a person’s nerves. In multiple sclerosis, the coating around the nerves known as the myelin sheath starts breaking down. But in Parkinson’s disease, the nerve cells in the brain slowly die off.

Other common symptoms
There are various other common symptoms between the two of these diseases.

• Imbalance of the body
• Limb movements are spastic and become harder to control
• Loss of muscle control on one side of the body which later progresses to both sides of the body
• Slurred speech which another person cannot understand or is barely understandable
• Shaking legs, hands, limbs and lips
• Unsteady gait as the limbs are weak or numb
• No control over the bladder
• Depression

Dissimilarities between the two

Causes
Both of these diseases have different causes. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder, but Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder.

Age
Multiple sclerosis affects people who belong to the age group of 20 to 50. On the other hand, Parkinson’s disease affects people who are above 60 years of age. There is a very small chance that younger adults get this disease.

Symptoms that are found only in multiple sclerosis

• Tingling sensation or pain in any area of the body
• Dizziness or vertigo, the feeling where one feels the room is spinning and one loses their balance.
• Loss of hearing
• Itching all over the body
• Random electric shock feeling or sharp pain in the neck when one tries to move their chest or head in a certain way.
• Headaches
• Double vision or loss or total or partial vision. Even eye pain is common
• Fatigue
• Seizures

Symptoms that are only found in Parkinson’s disease

• Poor posture
• Stiff and rigid muscles
• Dragging or shuffling of feet
• Small and cramped handwriting
• Presence of slower movements
• Loss of complete control over the way one smiles, blinks, swings their arms when they walk or swallow

These are the similarities and difference one need to pay attention to before they think both these diseases are one and the same. A doctor can also help one understand the differences easily and make a proper diagnosis if someone shows the above symptoms.