Parkinson’s disease is actually a neurological disorder that mostly affects the movement. The major characteristic of this condition is its progressive and gradual approach. In most of the cases it gradually develops in just one hand even without showing any symptoms. One of the major and common symptoms in case of Parkinson’s disease is tremors. Now do you know what tremors mean? Tremor is a condition where hands, legs and jaws start to shake or tremble. This is not the only symptom. In this type of disease people also feel some stiffness and the slowness in the movements. Now it is really crucial to understand what Parkinson’s disease is, what are the root causes and symptoms and how you can go for better and effective treatment options. This detailed article is all about. Without any further delay let’s get started.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
For better diagnosis and effective treatment it is really important for you to know what Parkinson’s disease is. Medical study shows that Parkinson’s disease is chronic in nature. It is a progressive movement disorder. The main issue in this type of disease is symptoms continue and become complex as time passes. Now understand why this situation arises. Sometimes neurons which are actually very important Nerve cells located in the brain destroyed or not function properly then the disorder that we are talking about right now takes place.
Studies show that Parkinson’s disease primarily affects those areas of the neuron in the brain which are called substantia nigra. It is very important to know that some of the dying neurons start producing dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that sends a message to that part of the brain which is responsible for controlling the movement and coordination of the body. So as time passes and Parkinson’s disease starts to develop, dopamine production in the brain decreases. When this happens it cannot send more signals to the brain to control the movement smoothly and normally.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
It is very important in any type of disease to check out symptoms in its initial stage in order to go for a proper diagnosis and effective treatment. Here we are going to discuss some common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Let’s have a look.
Tremor
The first common symptom is the tremor (trembling, shaking of hands, arms and legs) that starts in any part of your body, especially in your hands or fingers.
Bradykinesia
Bradykinesia is actually a situation where the movement of the person closes down to a greater extent. It gradually decreases your ability to move. Your movement slows down in such a way that even simple daily routine works look really difficult to perform.
Muscle Rigidity
There is also a possibility of muscle stiffness in any part of your body. When this happens it becomes very painful to move your muscle in any position.
Defective Posture and Balance
At number 4 there comes another important symptom which is the defectiveness in your posture and balance. In case of Parkinson’s disease your posture actually declines and the balance issues also arise.
Automatic Movements Disappears
In most of the cases it is observed people become unable to perform movements in a conscious way. Now try to understand the meaning of conscious movement. Conscious movement actually means when you walk then you automatically smile, swing your arms and also blink. This characteristic vanishes in case of Parkinson’s disorder.
Speech Changes
Add number 6 important one symptom is the changes in your speech. When Parkinson’s disease attacks your body your level of speech actually disturbs as was before. In that case you may speak quickly, softly or there are also chances of hesitation before talking to anyone.
Writing Changes
The Last but not the least symptom in case of Parkinson’s disease is the changes in your writing. Sometimes it becomes really hard for you to write something in this whole scenario.
Causes of Parkinson’s Disease
One thing is pretty much sure that nothing could happen immediately. There are actually some culprits and factors which are responsible for creating that particular situation. Here in this case we are going to find out reasons why Parkinson’s disease came into existence. Some of the root causes are as follows.
Genetics
Genetic factors are one of the reasons that cause Parkinson’s disease. However this actually happens in very rare cases. The genetic factor actually increases in those cases where many family members also have been affected by this chronic disease.
Environmental Factors
As you know, today’s atmosphere has actually become very polluted. The presence of certain toxic elements and environmental factors can increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease but mostly observed that the amount of risk is smaller.
Lewy Bodies
Studies show that there are a number of specific substances within the brain cells that are reasons for Parkinson’s disease. These substances actually in Medical terms are known as Lewy bodies. Medical experts say that the presence of these lewy bodies plays an important role in the creation of this chronic disorder.
Alpha Synuclein
Alpha Synuclein is also responsible for creating this type of disorder related to the movement. Now the question must come at this time: what is Alpha Synuclein? This is actually a protein in the human body and is the major component of the lewy bodies
Risk Factors
It is very important to keep in mind that there are several risk factors that are also responsible in case of Parkinson’s disease. Some of the most important risk factors are as follows.
Age
Medical study shows that the chances of Parkinson’s disease in the early age are really very rare. The ideal age for this chronic disease to develop is the middle age or the late life. Researchers explain that those people whose ages are around 60 years are likely to have greater chances to become the victim of this disease.
Heredity
Heredity is another factor in case of PD chronic disease. If you have a close relative who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease then it means there are a lot of chances that you can be the next person. Still you are at lower risk unless you have many relatives. These relatives can be from your family or out of the family.
Sex
Sex factor is also a contributing element in case of Parkinson’s disease. Research shows that chances of this disease are more in men as compared to women.
Toxins Exposure
Researchers have found that the increasing use of pesticide and herbicides is increasing the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease
Unfortunately there is no specific tool for movement related to this particular disease. You can only diagnose it on the basis of your medical history. Besides that, with the help of physical and neurological examination you can diagnose it to some extent. For this purpose dopamine transporter scan can be the good option that helps in your cause. So better and correct diagnosis is really crucial to check out symptoms and go through the process of neurological examination.
Effective Treatment
It is a fact that you can manage Parkinson’s disease with the help of medications because there is no proper cure still available at the moment. So for an effective treatment, you need to consult your doctor. Here in this part of the article we will discuss the treatment options that you can take.
Medications
There are some medications available that can increase dopamine or substitute it. Some of the medicines are as follows.
Carbidopa Levodopa
At number 1 there comes Levodopa in our list. Levodopa is considered the best medicine to treat Parkinson’s disease. It is basically a natural chemical that has the ability to convert into dopamine when passed in your brain. Now the important thing that you have to understand here at the moment is the combination of Levodopa with Carbidopa. Levodopa comes together with carbidopa. Major reason for its combination is to make sure that it is converted into dopamine inside your brain, not outside.
Dopamine Agonists
Dopamine Agonists are actually not more effective as compared to Levodopa because they do not change into dopamine. Its main characteristic is to act like dopamine in your brain. So due to their less effectiveness, Dopamine Agonists can be used with Levodopa.
Surgical Treatments
Surgical treatment is the option that is used in case of complexity. DBS (deep brain stimulation) is the most famous surgical treatment option for Parkinson’s disease. In this type of treatment electrodes are implanted into a specific area of your brain. These electrodes are then connected to a generator that is implanted in the chest. In this way it sends electrical pulses to your brain in order to reduce the symptoms of this disorder.
Lifestyle Changes and Home Remedies
Consume Healthy Diet
The central point of discussion in any type of health issue is actually a healthy diet. When you consume a healthy diet full of nutrients and the combination of fruits and vegetables the chances of diseases automatically becomes very low. Same is the case in Parkinson’s disease. Try to make a habit to eat those foods containing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and rich in fiber.
Exercise
Do you observe why sportsmen mostly remain fit and healthy? The answer is simple. They keep their diet in a balanced way and take regular exercises. Taking exercise is one of those practices that increases the flexibility and strength of your muscles. It not only makes your muscles strong but also reduces your stress and depression as well.
Avoid Falling
It is clear that in Parkinson’s disease your movement actually disturbs. The chances of falling arise. In the early stage of this disease you can somehow manage yourself from falling but as the disease progresses it becomes very difficult. So be careful if you are facing this situation.
Living with Parkinson’s Disease
It can be very challenging for anyone in case of Parkinson’s disease to live a happy life. But if you look around you then you have come to know that many people have managed perfectly the symptoms of this chronic disease and are living a happier life with full confidence. Here are a few tips for you in this context.
Stay Informed
First of all the important thing that you have to do is to collect all the information about Parkinson’s disease. So stay informed and keep in touch about any improvements to handle this disease.
Find Support Groups
It is really very important to get complete guidance whether it is financial or emotional or physical. Involve your friends and family members into the matter that you are facing. You can also join support groups related to your medical issues. In this way you will be in a position to communicate with other people who are suffering the same disease as you are and can get practical advice which will be helpful to give you comfort and relief.
Physical Activities
It is really very important to stay active because in this way you can get support which will be helpful for your movement. So consult your doctor for an effective exercise plan according to your current condition.
Mental Health
By finding all the sources about how to recover from Parkinson’s disease doesn’t mean that you ignore your mental health. Without good mental health you cannot do anything properly. So keep in mind that Parkinson’s disease can also affect your mind resulting in depression and anxiety.
Conclusion
Parkinson’s disease is chronic in nature so with the proper diagnosis and effective treatment you can reduce its symptoms to a greater extent. It is very important to keep in mind that due to the lack of its cure you may have to rely on multiple treatment options like medication and surgical treatment. Study shows that changes in lifestyle can also have a positive impact in the improvement of Parkinson’s disease. There is good news for you as the advancement in this type of disorder is ongoing. So be informed and keep yourself physically active in order to fight against this complicated but manageable disease. There are challenges in the journey towards recovery but by getting full support from your friends and family and joining support groups you can actually beat Parkinson’s disease.