Natural Health Alternatives Blog

Parkinson’s disease is the progressive deterioration of most motor functions due to decline in dopamine producing cells in the brain. It is a neurodegenerative disease, which can be genetic. However, some researchers speculate that its causes can be based on some environmental factors. It is referred to as a nervous system disorder that gradually deteriorates from slight hand tremors or stiffness or slowness in movement. In early stages, signs may not fully present themselves and some people might not even notice. Your speech may become slow or slurred. Your arm may not swing properly. Most of the people who are diagnosed with this condition are over the age of 60. The degree of impairment and progression vary among patients. Symptoms may also present themselves in different stages among different people. Some patients are able to live productive long lives with Parkinson’s disease while others face a much quicker progression of the disease rendering them helpless at an earlier stage.

Symptoms

Most early signs can go unnoticed and can be different for everyone. Most symptoms effect one side of the body while other remain unchanged and then gradually the onset of the disease settles in both sides of the body. Here are some symptoms of Parkinson’s disease that you can look out for:

•    Tremor or shakes in limbs, hands or fingers

•    Slowed movement or bradykinesia, which can slow your movement making simple daily tasks difficult

•    Impaired posture

•    Rigid muscles

•    Loss of any automatic movements or unconscious movements like blinking, smiling or swinging of arms while walking

•    Impaired balance which may affect walking or sitting for long periods of time

•    Speech impairment which may cause the patient to slur, speak softly or quickly or hesitate while talking

•    Writing changes can occur as it will become increasingly difficult to handle writing equipment due to tremors and loosened grip.

Some secondary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:

•    Depression

•    Anxiety

•    Dementia

•    Memory loss

•    Difficulty swallowing

•    Constipation

•    Confusion

•    Excessive salivation

•    Increased sweating

•    Urinary frequency or urgency

•    Skin issues

•    Erectile dysfunction

Causes

The brain areas corpus striatum and substantia nigra are joined by a substance called dopamine, which act as a messenger and facilitate smoother movements. In Parkinson’s disease, the movement related problems are caused by lack of dopamine, whose low quantity adversely effects the communication between the brain regions that facilitate controlled and conscious movements. Other causes of low production of dopamine has been linked to stress, inflammation and dysfunctional cellular activity.

Treatment

There are several treatment options available for controlling and managing symptoms. Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, doctors can opt for the following treatments for controlling symptoms:

•    Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and acetylcholine through deep brain stimulators or DBS

•    Surgery options such as Pallidotomy and Thalamotomy

•    Deep Brain Stimulation

•    Gamma Knife Treatment

•    Alternative treatments such as Vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and uric acid

•    Experimental treatment such as gene therapy and foetal cell transplantation by using stem cells

•    Using medications such as Benztropine mesylate, Entacapone, Larodopa Dopar, Levodopa and carbidopa, Ropinirole Hcl, Pramipexole Rasagiline, Safinamide and Rotigotine Trihexphenidyl.

The symptoms can be managed by physical and occupational therapy, guided imagery, speech therapy and counselling as well as treating secondary symptoms by referrals to specialists.