Parkinson's
What is Parkinson's?
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the neurons that produce dopamine. Normally this disorder develops slowly in people from 55 to 65 years of age.
What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s?
This disorder causes a progressive deterioration of certain brain functions in the patient that manifest with various symptoms, including:
- A tremor in the arms and or legs
- Limb rigidity
- Balance problems
- Urinary problems
- Depression
- Speech can be affected
Symptoms present differently in each patient and experiences of this disorder can be very different.
What causes Parkinson’s?
The exact cause of Parkinson's is unknown, however, it can attributed to a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This loss of cells causes a reduced production of dopamine which is needed to regulate movement. However, it is not known what causes this loss of nerve cells.
Parkinson’s disease can run in families, and passed from parent to child, however, this is a rare way to inherit the condition.
Can Parkinson’s be prevented?
Since the cause of this disease is not known, there is no known way to prevent it.
What is the treatment for Parkinson’s?
There is no known cure for Parkinson’s, however, treatments can help to manage and relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatments include physiotherapy and occupational therapy, medication and in some cases surgery (deep brain stimulation).
One of the important parts of the treatment is physical rehabilitation, which consists in the maintenance of muscle tone and motor functions, hence why daily physical activity is important.
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Parkinson's disease has some easy to spot symptoms such as tremors and balance issues, but what are the more subtle signs that are harder to notice? Dr Prashanth Reddy explains all about the symptoms and testing involved in the diagnosis of Parkinson's in this article. See more
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