Parkinson’s is a hereditary neurological disorder that gradually destroys motor skills and becomes difficult to live with. Symptoms typically develop in late adulthood or early adulthood, although early symptoms can be detected in middle age. The majority of sufferers are elderly men but it does sometimes occur in women.
Parkinson’s disease is divided into two main categories, namely Parkinsonism type one and Parkinsonism type two. With the second you get additional syndromes such as rigidity, sweaty palms and loss of balance. Early symptoms include trembling, rigidity and slowing of movement which are caused by the nerve cell damage. As the condition progresses, the individual may also experience muscle stiffness, loss of bladder or bowel control, difficulty with speech, an impairment in eye contact and the emergence of movements such as stooping, bending and other unusual movements.
Parkinson’s symptoms can be divided into two groups based on the stage they are at. Stage I is when the disease is confined to the central nervous system and no signs or symptoms appear. In the later stages of the disease has spread to other areas of the body and the earliest symptoms become visible. Symptoms of later stages include bradykinesia (impairment of muscle tone), poor muscle tone and weakness, decreased movement co-ordination, speech difficulties and loss of balance. More severe variations of Parkinson’s disease may also result in bradykinesia, which can affect both legs.
Parkinson’s symptoms can be assessed with certain tests and the diagnosis is usually made by doing a brain scan. If you have early Parkinson’s symptoms, it will be necessary to carry out lots of tests such as spinal fluid test, brain function tests, reflex tests and blood tests. The brain function test will be used to look for evidence of protein deposits in the brain and the reflex test will show if a person loses their balance and falls over. A blood test will be able to tell us if there is any evidence of iron deficiency anemia. A thorough physical examination and interview of the patient will help to decide if a person has Parkinson’s disease and if so at what stage it is.
Parkinson’s symptoms may include one or both legs feeling heavy or ‘weighted down’. The other legs might feel weak and find it hard to stand up. The one side of the brain that deals with emotions and movement is affected and one side of the brain is called corticobasal degeneration (CBD). This means that one side of the brain is working overtime. One side of the brain is called the substantia nigra and the other is called tuberoinfundibular. These areas control movement, speech, swallowing and eye movement.
Parkinson’s symptoms can be treated using medication and a combination of therapy and drugs called dopamine therapies. A type of drug called levodopa is sometimes given as a treatment for Parkinson’s. Sometimes a patient can be prescribed a type of drug called Lufenuron, which is also used to treat depression, anxiety and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and used to relieve tremors. Other medications such as clonidine are sometimes given along with the levodopa in order to relieve the nervous system of dopamine. Also available for some patients is deep brain stimulation, which is a kind of therapy that allows some brain cells to receive normal signals from the rest of the brain and become stronger.
Deep brain stimulation has been found to boost levels of dopamine. It has shown to improve movement, balance and cognition. Another technique used is called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or tMS, which is done by placing the head into a magnet. This creates a current that runs through the body. It has been found to relieve tremors, slow movements and can be very effective in treating Parkinson’s.
Other medications such as amyloid beta-blockers can slow the movement of the disease but do not treat the cause of Parkinson’s. Some research has even indicated that dopamine may be able to protect the brain cells from degeneration in Parkinson’s. Treatment methods will vary depending on the severity of your Parkinson’s symptoms. Also, treatment will need to be done early in the course of the disease in order to preserve as much of your daily function as possible. You can get more information about the early symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease and the treatment options available from your doctor.
Oren Zarif – Psychokinesis Treatment
