Parkinson’s disease is one of the most prevalent neurological disorders in the United States. As of 2019, nearly 1 million people are living with the condition. Parkinson’s gets worse over time, starting from muscle coordination problems and ending up with cognitive dysfunction like confusion, dementia and mood instability.
It’s really difficult to see your parents or older relatives descend into a state of complete dependence, seeing their irritability and confusion because of Parkinson’s. It’s even more traumatic for the patient because it’s almost inevitable that their symptoms will get worse and they won’t be able to tell the difference.
It’s not all that bad though—there are ways you can delay the onset of Parkinson’s and delay the progression of symptoms. Unfortunately, we don’t have a cure for Parkinson’s disease because we don’t know what causes it but it’s said that physical exercise can help slow down the condition.
Understanding how Parkinson’s starts, the physical symptoms and the progression can help you understand what you or your relatives are going through. With this understanding, perhaps you can become better care givers and feel less anxious about having Parkinson’s. To that end, this blog will discuss the biology behind the Parkinson’s disease.
What Is The Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder—it’s caused by the death of nerves in your brain, so the brain starts losing control over the body. Nerve death occurs in the part of the brain that produces a chemical called dopamine, which controls emotional responses, feelings of excitement and motor control. As nerve damage spreads, people with Parkinson’s experience debilitating symptoms.
The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:
- Uncontrollable tremors in the hands, arms, legs, jaw or head
- Limb stiffness
- Movement slows down
- Balance and coordination problems
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Trouble with chewing, swallowing and speaking
Treatment Options
Since we don’t know what causes the Parkinson’s disease, we don’t have a cure for it either. Doctors and researchers have noticed that exercise might help slow down progression of the disease. According to research, regular aerobic exercise helps improve nerve density and facilitates the growth of new nerves. It makes sense—if Parkinson’s is caused by nerve death, then exercise might very well slow the condition down.
Some people also take medication to overcome dopamine shortages, which is the medium through which Parkinson’s progresses. Combined with physical exercise, following through with regular physical therapy, and keeping up with medication can significantly increase life spans for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Farzin Pedouim at Movement Help, LA is a Parkinson’s disease specialist offering treatment for Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Make an appointment at (949) 239-4410 or send us a message for more information.
