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What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that predominately dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra. Symptoms generally develop slowly over years. The progression of symptoms is often a little bit different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. People with Parkinson’s disease may experience:
- Tremor
- Bradykinesia
- Limb Rigidity
- Gait & Balance Problems
Although there is no cure treatment options vary and include medication. While Parkinson’s itself is not fatal, disease complications can be very serious.
Living well with Parkinson's
The first step to living well with Parkinson’s disease is to understand the disease and how it progresses. It is possible that you can still have a good to great quality of life even with Parkinson’s Disease...
Stages of Parkinson's
Parkinson’s Disease impacts people in different ways. Not everyone will experience all the symptoms of Parkinson’s, and if they do, they won’t necessarily experience them in quite the same order or at the same intensity.
Types of Parkinsonims
Parkinsonism is a term used to describe the collection of signs and symptoms found in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). These include slowness (bradykinesia), stiffness (rigidity), tremor and imbalance.
Young onset Parkinson's
Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) occurs in people younger than 50 years of age. Most people with idiopathic, or typical, Parkinson’s Disease develop symptoms at 50 years of age or older.
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About Parkinson’s Disease
Causes
We do not know exactly what causes Parkinson’s Disease, scientists believe that a combination of genetics and environmental factors are the cause. The extent to which each factor is involved varies from person to person. Researchers do not know why some people develop Parkinson’s and others do not.
10 Signs of Parkinson's
It can be hard to tell if you or a loved one has Parkinson’s disease. Not everyone diagnosed with Parkinson’s will develop all of the symptoms possible and as the disease progresses, other symptoms may appear. However, there are 10 telltale signs and symptoms their doctors use for a possible Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis.
Diagnosis
There is no “one way” to diagnose Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, there are various symptoms and diagnostic tests used in combination to confirm this. Making an accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, particularly in its early stages, is very difficult, but a skilled practitioner can come to a reasoned conclusion that it is Parkinson’s Disease.
Movement Symptoms
Parkinson’s disease is called a movement disorder because of the tremors, slowing, and stiffening movements it can cause, and these are the most obvious symptoms of the disease. Parkinson’s affects many systems in the body. The symptoms are different from person to person and usually develop slowly over time.
Non Movement Symptoms
Parkinson’s Disease is generally thought of as a disease that only involved movement. But it addition to motor symptoms such as slowness of movement, tremor, stiffness and postural instability, most people develop other health problems related to Parkinson’s. These symptoms are diverse and collectively known as non-motor symptoms.
Treatment
There is no treatment for Parkinson’s Disease. Treatment for each person with Parkinson’s is based on their symptoms. Treatments include medication and surgical therapy. Other treatments include lifestyle modifications, like getting more rest and exercise. There are many medications available to treat the sympsoms, although none yet that reverse the effects of the disease.