Rebecca King Crews, wife of former NFL player Terry Crews, has revealed she has been battling Parkinson's disease for over a decade. She first noticed subtle symptoms, including numbness and a lack of arm swing, in 2012 but was initially misdiagnosed by doctors who attributed them to anxiety.
King Crews received her official Parkinson's diagnosis in 2015 after visiting multiple physicians. Early-onset Parkinson's, typically before age 50, accounts for a small percentage of cases, but symptoms can develop subtly. Neurologists note that non-motor symptoms like changes in handwriting, reduced sense of smell, sleep disturbances, and voice changes can precede the more commonly known motor symptoms such as tremors and stiffness.
While the cause of Parkinson's remains unknown, research suggests potential links to genetic factors, environmental exposures, and head trauma. Exercise is believed to help slow disease progression. King Crews has found relief through a new FDA-approved procedure called bilateral-focused ultrasound, which uses MRI-guided ultrasound waves to treat movement symptoms. This non-invasive therapy offers a potential advancement for patients, though coverage can be inconsistent.
Experts encourage patients to consult movement disorder specialists and advocate for available treatments.