Breathing Trouble? You’re Not Alone – Nearly Half of People with Parkinson’s Affected

A new study has found that nearly half of all people living with Parkinson’s experience problems with their breathing – and many don’t even realise it’s linked to their condition. The research, published in the Journal of Neurology, looked at almost 1,000 people with Parkinson’s and found that around 44% reported some kind of respiratory issue. These problems ranged from feeling breathless or having tightness in the chest, to frequent coughing or throat-clearing. Two Main Types of Breathing Problems The researchers discovered that these symptoms generally fall into two groups: Dyspnea – the fancy name for breathlessness, chest tightness, or struggling to breathe Dystussia – a term for cough-related symptoms, like frequent coughing or throat clearing The study excluded people who had lung conditions like asthma or who were still dealing with COVID-19, just to be sure the results were really linked to Parkinson’s. What Increases the Risk? Certain factors made people more likely to have breathing trouble: For dyspnea (breathlessness): longer time living with PD, being female, having stiffness (rigidity), a higher body weight, pre-existing lung issues, and even anxiety all played a role. For dystussia (coughing/throat issues): swallowing problems, speech difficulties, and having had COVID-19 symptoms were common triggers. Why This Matters Breathing and coughing issues might sound like small annoyances, but they can get worse over time and even lead to serious complications, especially if they go unnoticed or untreated. The good news? The study suggests that both medications and non-drug therapies (like breathing exercises or respiratory therapy) can help. But the key is catching these issues early. That means clinicians—and even people with PD themselves—should keep an eye out for these symptoms. And because everyone’s Parkinson’s looks a little different, a personalised, team-based approach is probably the way forward.