Parkinson's Disease is a progressive degenerative neurological disease with dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra in basal ganglia.
Parkinson's disease most often occurs after the age of 60 and more common in men than women. Symptoms occur gradually and worsen as the condition progresses. Smooth and coordinated muscle movements of the body are made by a substance in the brain called dopamine. In Parkinson’s disease, the cells that produce dopamine are gradually breakdown or die. When dopamine level decreases, it will result in impaired movement and other symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Signs and symptoms
Early signs of Parkinson’s disease may be mild. Symptoms often begin on one side of the body and remain worse on that side.
Early symptoms
Decreased ability to smell.
Constipation.
Voice changes.
Stooped posture.
Four main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
Tremor or shaking begins in the limb at rest
Slowed movements
Rigidity
Muscle stiffness in any part of the body can be seen.
This may be painful and limits the range of motion.
Impaired posture and balance
Posture may become stooped and can have balance problems.
Causes
The exact cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown. But genetic factors and environmental factors have an influence on it.
Risk factors
Age :
People above 60 years usually get the disease. Rare in young adults. The risk is increase with the age.
Heredity :
Family history of Parkinson’s disease.
Gender :
Men are more prone to get the disease than women.
Exposure to toxins :
Exposure to herbicides and pesticides increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Stages of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive disease. So the symptoms of the disease are worsening over time. According to the Hoehn and Yahr scale, the symptoms are classified into 5 stages.
Stage 1 :
This is the mildest form of Parkinson’s. You may not experience noticeable symptoms and they may not interfere with daily activities. If the person has symptoms, they may be isolated to one side of the body.
Stage 2 :
Progression from stage 1 to 2 takes time of months or years. In this stage, a person can experience muscle stiffness, tremors, changes in facial expressions, and trembling. Muscle stiffness can complicate the daily tasks of the person. In this stage, there are no balance problems. Symptoms appear on both sides of the body.
Stage 3 :
In this stage, symptoms may interfere with all daily activities. Movements become slow resulting in slow down of activities. Balance issues become more significant. So, falls are common in this stage. But persons in this stage can maintain their activities without much assistance.
Stage 4 :
Progression from stage 3 to stage 4 shows significant changes. In this stage, a person experiences great difficulty standing without a walker or assistive device.
Stage 5 :
This is the most advanced stage. It will be difficult to stand. Persons in this stage experience confusion, delusions, and hallucinations.
Complications
Thinking difficulties.
Depression and emotional changes.
Swallowing problems.
Chewing and eating problems.
Sleep problems.
Constipation.
prevention
Because the cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown there are no proven ways to prevent Parkinson’s disease. But medications and physiotherapy help to control the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
Parkinson's disease is the most common kind of parkinsonism. Even though there are no definite causes for Parkinson's disease, there are causes for parkinsonism. Parkinsonism is any condition that causes a combination of the movement abnormalities seen in Parkinson's disease such as tremor, slow movement, impaired speech, or muscle stiffness.
Dewmi Sanjana
References
https://www.healthline.com/health/parkinsons
https://www.parkinson.org/
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