Common Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease affects the nervous system and belongs to a group called movement disorders.
The most obvious symptoms of Parkinson’s is rigid muscles, tremoring in the arms and legs, trouble walking and slow movement. The cause of this occurs when the nerve cells begin to degenerate and the brain reacts by producing dopamine.
Dopamine is very important because it is responsible for stimulating the motor neurons which are important when we try to think about something. If there is a sudden decrease then the nerves are not able to control movement as efficiently as they used to be able to. As time passes, more loss of movement control is experienced.
Many scientists are convinced that these symptoms result from the combination of genes and environmental conditions. The initial symptoms are barely noticable then, as time goes by, start to become more severe.
In the US, alone, more than one and a half million people have been diagnosed with this disease. Nobody is immune to it but it is more often seen in whites. It also usually appears late in life around the age of sixty.
Before you are diagnosed you will need to go through a complete physical and neurological exam to make sure that something else isn’t causing the symptoms. To confirm a diagnosis you are likely to receive either a CT scan or MRI.
Sadly, doctors often mistake the symptoms of Parkinson’s in Senior Citizens as age related. Younger patients are not much better off because doctors do not expect symptoms and often fail to see them.
Scientists have not yet found a cure but there are a lot of ways to go about treating the symptoms. Many medicines are available for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Lovodopa and Carbidopa are effective at helping you to be able to move and walk easier. They also treat tremors.
Surgery is often an option at later stages of the disease. There are risks, as always, with surgery and there is no guarantee that it will help the symptoms to disappear. Depending on the severity of the symptoms that you are experiencing you might have any of the following surgeries: Ablative surgery, Pallidotomy, Thalamotomy, Transplantation, Deep Brain Stimulation or Restorative surgery.
If you are into alternative medicine then there are a good many options for you to try including: Physical therapy, herbal remedies, occupational therapy, homeopathic remedies, massage, support groups, music therapy, Tai Chi, Alexander technique and Yoga. You can try one, or combine several of these, to fit your schedule!
