Parkinsons disease is a movement disorder. It is considered a disorder in the central nervous system. It is both a chronic and progressive disease. In Parkinsons disease, there is very few dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical substance produced by certain microscopic cells in the brain. However, in cases of Parkinsons disease, these cells in certain parts of the brain are damaged or dead. Dopamine is a chemical that carries messages to the brain telling the body to move, how to move and when to move. The depletion of this neurologic chemical causes the body to have difficulty in executing movement. Parkinsons disease lasts for a long time. It also gets worse over time. Genetic factors, toxins in the environment such as pesticides, and free radical chemicals that build up in the brain causing the microscopic cells to get damaged are all linked to Parkinson disease. Some cases of very fast brain cell loss are also considered to be a possible cause of Parkinson disease for some people. The four main symptoms of Parkinsons disease involve tremors, rigid trunk and extremities, slow movement or bradykinesia and poor coordination of movements and balance.
Tremors refer to rhythmic movements or shaking, usually in the patients hands, especially when at rest. This is likewise called fine hand tremors or resting tremors. The patients with Parkinsons disease also experience stiffness, weakness, tenseness and sometimes aching of muscles. They are also slow in moving, like in walking. Since they have poor coordination of movements and balance, Parkinsons patients are also prone to accidents and falls. Their characteristic walking is called shuffling gait. Parkinsons, over time, also leads to other symptoms including speech problems and changes, swallowing problems, urination and defecation problems. Depression is also very common. Symptoms of Parkinsons vary from one patient to another.
DIAGNOSIS OF PARKINSONS Diagnosing Parkinsons disease is done by assessing the signs and symptoms of the disorder on the patient. Patients usually initially seek help because of tremors. Aside from that, the doctor usually assesses for other signs and symptoms of the disorder particular to Parkinsons disease. There is no specific diagnostic test that can diagnose Parkinson disease. However, upon assessment of the suggestive signs and symptoms of Parkinsons, MRI or magnetic resonance imaging test help in confirming that the cause of these signs and symptoms are not caused by any other disorder or disease. There is no specific cure for Parkinsons disease. However, there are medications given to provide relief for its many symptoms. The palliative treatment would depend on what symptom each Parkinson patient experiences. Medications for Parkinsons patients act to increase the dopamine levels of the brain, even if the microscopic cells are no longer able to do so. Some medications also act to copy the effects of the chemical dopamine in the brain, thereby transmitting information to the brain and commanding the body to move. This causes improvements in the patients movements. The other anti-Parkinsonian medications extend the effect of dopamine already in the brain. This will maximize the ability of the chemical in helping with motor activities. It is important to know however that medications given to Parkinsons patients can neither cure the disease, nor keep it from progressing. The medications only serve to provide momentary relief for its symptoms.
