NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Parkinson\u2019s disease most commonly affects older adults, with the average age of onset in the early to mid-60s. However, a smaller subset of patients develop early-onset symptoms before age 50.<\/p>\n Former NFL linebacker Terry Crews’ wife, Rebecca King Crews, 60, recently announced that she\u2019s been battling Parkinson’s disease<\/a> for over a decade. She first began noticing symptoms in 2012 and was diagnosed in 2015.<\/p>\n During an appearance on Monday’s episode of “Today,” King Crews got candid about living with the disease and shared how a newly approved procedure has helped manage her symptoms.<\/p>\n EARLY PARKINSON\u2019S COULD BE DETECTED DECADES BEFORE SYMPTOMS WITH SIMPLE BLOOD TEST<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n King Crews detailed how she had “some slight numbness” in her left food at first. Her trainer also noticed a lack of swing in her arm when she walked.<\/p>\n “Then I woke up one morning and my hand was shaking,” she recalled. “I said, ‘Now that’s a tremor,’ because my grandmother had tremors. So I went to the doctor, and he told me, ‘Oh, you’re having anxiety<\/a>, you’ll be fine.'”<\/p>\n Terry Crews’ wife, Rebecca King Crews, first noticed symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in 2012. She was officially diagnosed in 2015.<\/span> (Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n King Crews, who is also a breast cancer survivor, said she visited multiple doctors<\/a> before receiving her Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis.<\/p>\n It is not common to see Parkinson\u2019s disease in people under 50 years old, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, with only 2% of people diagnosed earlier than age 40.<\/p>\n The Parkinson\u2019s Foundation has reported that about 4% of all cases begin before age 50, with the incidence of disease increasing with age.<\/p>\n COMMON SLEEP PROBLEM TIED TO SERIOUS NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER IN MAJOR NEW STUDY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n An estimated 1.1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s<\/a>, and that number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030.<\/p>\n Symptoms tend to develop slowly over time, usually including tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movement and balance problems, according to Dr. Zachary Jordan, a neurologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.<\/p>\n Patients with young-onset Parkinson\u2019s disease (YOPD) are more likely to experience involuntary muscle contractions called dystonia, which occurs in different parts of the body.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Patients with young-onset Parkinson\u2019s disease (YOPD) are more likely to experience involuntary muscle contractions called dystonia, which occurs in different parts of the body, Jordan told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n People with YOPD also report more involuntary body movements, but less frequent dementia-related symptoms. These patients tend to experience a slower progression over time, usually staying functional and “cognitively intact” for much longer.<\/p>\n Dr. Joel Salinas, a Harvard-trained behavioral neurologist and chief medical officer at Isaac Health, shared that Parkinson’s “often announces itself subtly.”<\/p>\n TERRY CREWS’ WIFE REVEALS SHE BATTLED PARKINSON’S IN SECRET FOR YEARS BEFORE FINDING HOPE IN NEW TREATMENT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n “Many people don’t realize how many non-motor symptoms can appear early, sometimes even before the movement issues: changes in handwriting (getting smaller and more cramped), reduced sense of smell, sleep disturbances<\/a>, constipation, and a soft or monotone voice,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n Since early signs are so varied, Parkinson’s is frequently misdiagnosed in its initial stages, Salinas said, just as King Crews’ early symptoms were dismissed.<\/p>\n When it comes to finding a cure for Parkinson’s, Rebecca King Crews remains hopeful for the future.<\/span> (Michael Kovac\/Getty Images for Moet and Chandon)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The cause of Parkinson’s is unknown, although YOPD cases are “slightly more likely” to be genetic, Johns Hopkins reports.<\/p>\n Growing research has linked early-onset Parkinson’s to environmental exposures<\/a>, such as pesticides and certain chemicals, as well as head trauma, according to Salinas.<\/p>\n Although there is no proven prevention for Parkinson’s, Salinas pointed to “strong evidence” that regular exercise<\/a> may help slow disease progression.<\/p>\n There are some medications and therapies<\/a> for Parkinson’s, including the new FDA-approved treatment King Crews has undergone, called bilateral-focused ultrasound.<\/p>\n Men are diagnosed with Parkinson’s at roughly 1.5 times the rate of women overall, but women with early-onset disease are sometimes underdiagnosed because their symptoms get attributed to other causes, like anxiety or hormonal changes, an expert said.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The treatment uses a device called Exablate Neuro to “deliver ultrasound waves to targeted areas on both sides of the brain involved in Parkinson’s movement symptoms, all guided by MRI,” Salinas shared.<\/p>\n The FDA approved the therapy in July 2025 to treat both side of the brain, six months apart. Salinas called it a “meaningful advance<\/a> for the right patients.”<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n “It is non-invasive (no incisions, no risk of surgical bleeding), which makes it an appealing option compared to deep brain stimulation for patients who qualify,” he said.<\/p>\n While focused ultrasound is not a cure, it represents a “category of intervention,” according to Salinas.<\/p>\n While focused ultrasound is not a cure, it represents a “category of intervention,” according to an expert.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The procedure, which is currently indicated for patients with advanced Parkinson\u2019s motor symptoms, is expensive \u2013 and is not consistently covered by insurance.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nPrevalence of early Parkinson’s<\/h3>\n
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