Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous disorder that begins with subtle symptoms that can hardly be noticed. The initial symptoms are mild tremors in just one hand. As the disease progresses, there could be stiffness and the movements may slow down.
In the early stages, the arms may not swing while walking, the speech will slow down, and there will be little or no expression on the face. Parkinson’s disease symptoms may worsen as the disease progresses. The symptoms begin on one side of the body but over time, the other side will also be affected.
In most cases, before experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, the individual may have sleep problems, constipation, restless legs, loss of smell, etc. If you have any of these issues that persist and interrupt your daily activities, you should speak to your doctor for relevant treatment.
Factors That May Lead to Parkinson’s Disease
The degeneration of a specific brain neuron that aids dopamine production can result in Parkinson’s disease. The brain function gets disrupted and its activity becomes inconsistent when the dopamine levels decline. This inconsistent brain activity manifests in the form of Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
While the specific cause of the condition is unknown, there could be some factors that contribute to the disease. They are:
1. Genetics: Genetic mutation can be a Parkinson’s disease cause. This mutation happens in rare cases and mainly in families where several cases of the disease are recorded.
2. Exposure to Toxins: Exposure to environmental factors like pollution and certain toxins, though bleak, may increase the risk of developing the disease.
3. Appearance of Lewy Bodies: Lewy Bodies are certain substances in the brain cells and the presence of these Lewy bodies are minute markers of the disease. They can also be a clue for the diagnosis of this condition. Several substances are found within the Lewy Bodies but the protein alpha-synuclein is of great importance. This protein does not break down and is found in the spinal cord fluid of persons who are later affected by Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease vary with the individual. Early signs of Parkinson’s will be mild and generally ignored. The symptoms begin on one side of the body and may also affect the other side as the disease progresses:
1. Tremor: Tremor or rhythmic shaking begins with your hands and fingers. Your hand may tremble when at rest but may subside or stop with activity.
2. Bradykinesia or slowed-down motion: Slowing down movements while walking, getting out of a chair, etc. can make day-to-day activities difficult. The feet might even be dragged while walking. The slowness of movements is one of the classic signs of Parkinson’s disease
3. Stiffness: Muscles of any part of your body may become stiff and restrict movement.
4. Posture and Balance Issues: You may tend to stoop, may not have balance, and often fall when you are affected by the disease.
5. Loss of Automatic Movements: Swinging your arms while walking, smiling, or blinking are automatic movements and these disappear when you are affected by Parkinson’s disease.
6. Speech and Writing Changes: You may slur while speaking or your speech may slow down. Writing may become smaller (micrographia) and more challenging.
Parkinson’s Disease Treatment
Parkinson’s disease does not typically have a cure. However, the symptoms can be managed with medicines, therapy, and sometimes, surgery.
Medicines with following properties are administered to manage the Parkinson’s Disease symptoms:
- Enhancing dopamine levels in the brain
- Improving the performance of neurotransmitters that pass on information between brain cells.
- Managing symptoms that are not movement-related.
The common therapy for the disease is levodopa. Levodopa helps replenish the dopamine levels in the brain. Carbidopa and levodopa are taken together. Carbidopa minimises the side effects like nausea, restlessness, low blood pressure levels, etc. caused by levodopa therapy and helps reduce the intake of levodopa required for managing the symptoms. Levodopa should not be stopped abruptly as it may lead to issues like breathing difficulties and restricted movement.
However, for people who do not respond to medication, deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure is recommended wherein electrodes are implanted into a part of the brain and connected to a small electrical device inserted in the chest that delivers electrical stimulation.
Conclusion
Parkinson’s disease is a nerve disorder that occurs with a decline in dopamine levels in the brain. It begins with subtle symptoms on one side of the body, which affects the other side too as the disease progresses. The disease may restrict movements and cause stiffness in muscles, which interrupt daily activities. Though there is no cure for the condition, the symptoms can be managed with medication, therapy, and surgical procedures.
