Parkinson's sufferers hiding 'embarrassing' symptoms

Some Parkinson's sufferers think their symptoms are "socially unacceptable" Credit: PA

Almost two-fifths of Parkinson's sufferers in the UK hide or lie about their symptoms for fear or embarrassment, a survey suggests.

The findings, from the charity Parkinson's UK, are said to reveal an "alarming" level of fear surrounding the disorder.

A total of 127,000 people in the UK live with the disease, a progressive brain disorder which causes uncontrollable tremors, slow movement and impaired speech.

The charity estimates that 42,000 affected people have delayed sharing their diagnosis with someone close to them.

A total of 37% of 1,868 sufferers questioned felt it necessary to hide their symptoms for varying reasons.