Information on Parkinsons Disease: An Overview
...Parkinson's Disease Have Been Described By Writers of The Ayurveda in 5,000 B.C.
This information on Parkinsons disease started from a slight overview on what Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali, Pope John
Paul II and the Reverend Billy Graham have in common. Aside from
the obvious
answer that they're all famous people, they all share a common diagnosis - Parkinson's Disease.
It's a diagnosis that
they share
with millions of adults around the world. According to the National Institutes of Health, Parkinson's Disease is
the second most
common neurodegenerative disease affecting American adults - right after Alzheimer's Disease.
Symptoms resembling Parkinson's Disease have been described by writers of the Ayurveda in 5,000 B.C., and in the
first Chinese
medical text nearly 2,500 years ago, but the disease is named for Dr. James Parkinson, who first described the
condition formally
in 1817 in an essay called "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy".
Parkinson's affects approximately 1 in 100 people over the age of 60 - nearly 500,000 people in the United States,
with another
50,000 cases reported every year. While Parkinson's usually affects those over 60, about 5-10% of those new
diagnoses - up to
5,000 cases per year - will be in adults under the age of 40.
Another important information on Parkinsons disease is that it particularly devastating to its victims and their
families. It usually begins with a barely noticed
tremble or
stiffness in one limb. More often than not, that first warning tremble is ignored. Most adults who are diagnosed
with Parkinson's
wait nearly a year after the initial onset of symptoms before seeing a doctor for a diagnosis. Eventually, Parkinson's
can render
its sufferers completely immobile through paralysis that takes over the body in minute increments.
The symptoms of Parkinson's include a tremor of one or more limbs, especially when the body is at rest, slowed movements
(known as bradykinesia), inability to move (akinesia) and rigid limbs. As the symptoms progress, they may lead to
a shuffling
gait, loss of balance and stooped posture. Eventually, Parkinson's may affect speech, movement, facial movement,
mood (depression
is common among Parkinson's patients) and mental health (dementia is one long term effect of Parkinson's).
While there are many theories about what causes Parkinson's Disease, none have yet been proven. There seems to be
a genetic link -
in about 1% of all Parkinson's cases there is a strong family history of the disease. There have been a number of
reported cases
related to exposure to an illegal drug contaminated with MPTP, and in those who contracted a severe form of influenza
in the early
1900s. Most doctors agree that there is a genetic component to the disease, most likely an inherited susceptibility
that may be
triggered by environmental factors.
In addition to information on Parkinsons Disease, there are a number of conditions that have many of the symptoms. These
include medication-induced
parkinsonism, vascular-induced parkinsonism and atypical parkinsonism. It's nearly impossible to differentiate between
the conditions
in the early stages of Parkinson's, but there are some clues that doctors can use to make a definitive diagnosis.
The prognosis for those diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease is bleak. While there is a great deal of ongoing research
into causes and
cures, as of now there is no treatment that is 100% effective in slowing or halting the progress of the disease.
Instead, most current
treatments focus on treating the symptoms of Parkinson's and contributing to the best possible quality of life.
Those treatments include
medication, surgery, lifestyle changes and adjustments, and alternative therapies.**
You may also be interested in...
Information on Parkinsons Disease
Recognize early symptoms of Parkinsons disease
www.FamilyHealthCorner.com/Parkinsons
