lennemagdalene

· 22 Nov 2021

Follow Following

What is Parkinson's Disease?

#Parkinsonism is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement. It affects majorly affects the nervous system’s part that controls movement. It is a progressive disease, meaning once it has started, it keeps on getting worse as the days go on. Its symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a simple tremor in just one hand and keep on getting worse. Its symptoms occur due to low dopamine levels in the brain. Experts do not know where this disease originates, but some argue that genetic changes and exposure to toxins contribute to its development. If you have Parkinson’s disease, you may shake, have muscle stiffness, trouble when walking, and maintenance of your balance and coordination of muscles. As the disease worsens, you may experience difficulty in talking, sleeping, have mental and memory problems, and experience behavioral changes. Parkinson’s disease affects 50% more men than women. It is also very common in people above 60 years of age. However, about 10% of people with Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed before they reach 50 years.

What Are Stages of Parkinson’s Disease?

Scientists divide the disease into four distinct stages. Each stage usually has different signs and symptoms as well. They are:

1. Early-stage. This stage of the disease has mild symptoms which occur slowly. These symptoms also do not affect the activities of daily living. Sometimes it’s very hard to notice any changes in this stage, as many people confuse early signs of Parkinson’s disease with signs of aging. People in this stage may experience fatigue or general symptoms of uneasiness. They can also have mild tremors and difficulty while standing.

2. Mid Stage. Here, the symptoms get worse. They make someone experience muscle stiffness, tremors, and movement difficulties which affect both sides of the body. People with Parkinson’s suffer from falls and balance issues more often than before when in this stage. People can live normally but activities of daily living may i.e., bathing, dressing, and cooking may be difficult to perform. These people also take longer to complete simple tasks that they were previously doing at a faster rate.

3. Mid-Late Stage. This stage makes it difficult to stand and walk. People become unable to walk and therefore may require a walker to help them move from one place to another. To continue living at home, you may need a full-time helper to assist you in performing some chores.

4. Advanced Stage. The advanced stage makes it extremely hard to walk, stand, or even move. This stage is also full of delusions and hallucinations. This is when a person requires a full-time nurse at home. If the symptoms get worse, sometimes patients can be taken to nursing homes for better management of symptoms.


What Are the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?

Changes in speech. People with this condition may speak quickly or too slow. They can also experience slur or hesitation before they talk. The speech may be monotone, meaning that it may contain one tone throughout. Ideally, speech should have tonal variations, but in this case, it never happens. Parkinson’s disease has many symptoms, but these are the major ones:

Changes in posture and balance. When the disease progresses, it may cause a stooped posture. It can also make it difficult for you to find balance and therefore, many people fall very often.

Bradykinesia. This is a slowed movement because of Parkinson’s disease. This makes it difficult for someone to perform simple tasks and can also take longer to achieve those tasks. As a result, your steps may become shorter when walking, drag your feet, and become unable to get out of a chair.

Difficulty in writing. Parkinson’s disease can make it difficult for you to write properly. The handwriting may appear smaller and not illegible.

The rigidity of the muscles. The disease causes stiffness of the muscles. This stiffness can affect any muscle in the body, causing movement difficulty. Muscle stiffness also causes a lot of pain and discomfort, which contributes to further movement cessation.

Tremors. The disease can begin with a simple tremor of one hand or foot. Most often, people may not realize it until a relative or a friend spots a sudden shake.

Automatic movements impairment. There are various things that the human body can do automatically, like blinking, smiling, or swinging your arms when walking. In people with Parkinson’s, all these autonomic movements are impaired and may be hard for patients to express them.

Muscle twisting, spasms, or cramps. Scientists call this condition dystonia. This may make someone experience painful cramps on the feet and clenched toes. This can also occur in any part of the body, causing pain.


What Causes Parkinsonism?

Scientists are not sure of the exact cause of this disease, but the following factors have proven to play a part in the development of Parkinsonism.

Low levels of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in regulating many functions, including sending messages to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. In Parkinsonism, the levels of dopamine are usually low. This happens when the cells that produce it die and, therefore, symptoms gradually become more severe.

Lewy bodies. People with Parkinsonism may have clumps of certain proteins called alpha-synuclein or Lewy bodies, particularly in their brains. When these proteins accumulate, they cause loss of nerve cells, leading to gradual loss of movement, thinking, behavior and mood.

Genetics. We are products of genes that we inherited from our parents, right? Scientists argue some genes found in certain people predispose them to Parkinsonism. However, they don’t consider it a condition that can be inherited. In all cases of Parkinsonism, only 10% are directly linked to genetics.

Low norepinephrine levels. Parkinson’s disease causes damage to the nerves that produce another neurotransmitter called norepinephrine. This chemical is very important in regulating blood circulation and other automatic body functions, like blinking and smiling. When this chemical is low, it causes rigidity, stiffness, postural difficulties, tremors, dementia, depression, and difficulty focusing. This causes orthostatic hypotension, where someone experiences lightheadedness and can fall. It happens because of a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing.

Some autoimmune diseases. In 2017, scientists found a direct link between Parkinson’s disease some certain types of autoimmune disorders. A good example of such a condition is rheumatoid arthritis. In 2018, the same research was conducted in Tawan found that people with rheumatoid conditions have a 1.37 higher chance of also having Parkinson’s disease.


What Are Preventative Measures for Parkinson’s Disease?

Currently, it’s not possible to prevent, cure, or stop the development of the disease. However, there are lifestyle modifications that you can adopt to help you reduce the risks. They are:

Avoid exposure to toxins. When dealing with substances that contain toxins. Some of these toxins are found in herbicides, pesticides, and solvents. You can do this by choosing an alternative like paraquat (it contains fewer toxins) and wearing protective clothing when using chemicals.

Avoid trauma. Head trauma has been highly linked to Parkison’s disease. Try to protect your brain from injury by:
●    Wearing protective headgear when working in [laves that can cause injury.
●    Wearing helmets when cycling.
●    Use a safety belt when in the car.
●    Seeking immediate medical treatment after a sudden concussion.

Exercise.  A study conducted in 2018 showed that exercising daily may help to prevent or treat the symptoms of Parksons’s disease. This is because exercise may help keep dopamine levels in your brain.


Dietary Modifications to Prevent Parkinson’s Disease.

You can choose some diets to help lower your risk of developing the disease. For example, you can take:

Turmeric. It contains curcumin, an antioxidant ingredient that helps prevent symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. It prevents stress and clumping of proteins in the brain.

Flavonoids. These are found in berries, apples, tea, some vegetables, and red grapes. Research suggests that they contain antioxidants that may help prevent the disease.

Avoid aldehydes. Some cooking oils such as sunflower oils, when heated, may contain aldehydes. Aldehydes are toxic and can cause the formation of aldehydes, toxic chemicals linked to Parkinson’s disease.


Conclusion: Parkinson’s disease is a lifelong condition that affects the nervous system. It causes changes in movement and muscle cramping. Scientists don’t understand how it develops, but it is highly linked to genetics and environmental factors. Past traumatic brain injuries and exposure to two toxins are two strong leads that scientists believe can trigger the disease. Exercise, avoiding toxins, and dietary modifications can help reduce the chances of developing the disease. The disease cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be prevented from worsening and reducing the quality of life.