Terry Crews' Wife Opens Up About Parkinson's Diagnosis After Early Symptoms Were Dismissed As Anxiety

Terry Crews' wife has opened up about her Parkinson's disease diagnosis for the first time, speaking publicly after living with the condition for more than 10 years. Although she has been dealing with it for a long time, she only recently decided to share what that experience has been like.

Rebecca King Crews, who has been married to White Chicks and Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews for nearly four decades, has been quietly battling Parkinson's since 2015. For years, she kept that part of her life private and handled the condition away from public attention.

Rebecca first started showing signs of the disease in 2012, and one of the earliest symptoms she noticed was numbness in her left foot while she was working out. At the time, it seemed strange, but not yet like something that would point to a major diagnosis.

Her doctor initially believed she may have simply been overdoing it at the gym. That explanation seemed possible at first, especially since she was active and the symptom appeared while exercising.

But then her trainer spotted something else that stood out. During certain exercises, Rebecca's left arm was not swinging as much as her right, which made it clear that the issue might not just be soreness or strain, according to TODAY.

Then one morning, while putting on lip gloss, Rebecca noticed her hand shaking. She recognized it as a tremor because her grandmother had experienced them too, and that moment gave the symptom a deeper meaning for her.

Terry Crews' wife Rebecca has opened up about her Parkinson's diagnosis Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for A Sense of Home

Even after that, getting a real answer was not simple. Her doctor thought the shaking might be caused by anxiety, while a neurologist was still unsure about what was going on. Instead of getting clarity, Rebecca was left in a long stretch of uncertainty.

It took three years for her to finally receive a Parkinson's diagnosis after seeing a specialist. By then, she had already spent years noticing changes in her body while still not having a clear explanation for them.

That stretch of time was likely one of the hardest parts of the journey, because the signs were there, yet the full picture had still not come together. The symptoms kept building slowly, which made the process feel drawn out and unsettling.

The mom-of-five has been quietly battling the disease for years JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images

One of the most difficult parts of the illness has been the tremors she has experienced over the years. They became one of the clearest and most frustrating parts of living with the condition, especially as they affected simple movements and daily tasks.

Just when it seemed like there might not be much hope for improvement, Rebecca underwent a groundbreaking treatment that has helped with her symptoms. That step marked a major change after years of simply trying to manage what was happening.

The treatment is called focused ultrasound. According to the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, it is a noninvasive therapeutic technology with the potential to improve quality of life and lower the cost of care for patients dealing with symptoms linked to Parkinson's disease.

"This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasonic energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the brain without damaging surrounding normal tissue," the foundation's website further explains.

Rebecca had this treatment last month and has already seen some improvements. Those early results mattered a lot, especially after years of living with symptoms that had slowly become part of everyday life.

This is also why she has now decided to go public with her diagnosis. Speaking now came with a sense of purpose, because for the first time in a long while, she felt she had hopeful news to share.

"The only reason I'm going public is because I finally have some uplifting information to offer," the 60-year-old told PEOPLE.

Rebecca has had the treatment on her right side and will return to Stanford Hospital in Stanford, California, in October to have her left side treated. The process is happening in stages, which gives doctors time to track how well each side responds.

That next appointment is another important part of her treatment journey. After so many years of unanswered questions, uncertainty, and difficult symptoms, the path ahead now seems more defined than it did before.

Discussing the procedure, Dr. Vivek Buch, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University, said: "It's very cutting edge. And I think [Rebecca] did it for others as much as she did it for herself."

"Not for publicity, but to be part of moving the field forward so others can also benefit from this new therapy."

If you've been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Parkinson's Disease Association via [email protected], or call its hotline on 800-223-2732.