Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s or Parkinson’s disease is a disease characterized by affecting a person’s motor abilities. It is due to a negative change in the function of a certain type of neurons in the brain.
Normally, these nerve cells release an important hormone and neurotransmitter called dopamine. Its function is to send signals to the brain center controlling body movements.
This part of the brain ensures the smooth movement of the muscles and their submission to the will of the person. In those affected by Parkinson’s disease, these neurons gradually degenerate and break down. Then the amounts of dopamine begin to decrease and the voluntary movements of the muscles become difficult.
The disease is progressive, meaning that control of voluntary muscle movements weakens over time. Modern medicine has options that help patients lead a fulfilling life.
What are the symptoms?
The four main clinical manifestations are:
• Tremor or shaking that may affect the arms, hands, or legs;
• Muscle stiffness;
• Slowed movements;
• Difficulty walking or with body balance;< /p>
Tremor is the first symptom to appear and is one of the most common, although it does not affect all sufferers. But more importantly, not everyone who has tremors has Parkinson’s.
Tremors are usually initially felt only in one arm or leg, or only on one side of the body. Tremors often get worse on waking but stop when you start moving the affected limb. The shaking also stops during sleep.
Over time, the disease affects the muscles of the whole body, and therefore it is possible to become the cause of difficulty swallowing or constipation.
In the later stages of the disease, it can lead to fixation of facial expression, speech disorders and other problems. A weakening of mental abilities is also observed in many of the patients. /dementia/.
In most cases, the clinical manifestations of the disease appear between the ages of 50 and 60, although it is possible to start earlier.
What are the causes?
It is not known what causes the degeneration and destruction of dopamine-releasing neurons. But a lot of research is being done to try to find out the cause.
Many possible causes are being investigated, such as aging and environmental toxins. It is believed that in some the disease develops due to the inheritance of certain abnormal genes, but so far there is no convincing evidence confirming this condition.
Treatment of Parkinson’s
There is still no cure for the disease with the help of which a complete cure can be achieved. But several drugs are used that affect the symptoms and make the disease more bearable by the patient, preventing a drastic deterioration in his quality of life.
Treatment may not be necessary if symptoms are mild. The doctor may wait to prescribe the drugs until the clinical manifestations of the disease begin to interfere with the patient’s usual activities.
The attending physician may make an adjustment in drug therapy, as the symptoms may worsen. It may be necessary to take several medications to achieve the best possible results.
Levodopa – the best drug to control the symptoms of the disease – hypokinesis and muscle stiffness. But it can cause side effects if used in higher dosage. Sometimes doctors use other medications to fight the disease in the earlier stages in an attempt to delay the use of levodopa.
