Parkinson's Fact Sheet: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system. This disorder affects the movement of the person diagnosed with it. The exact cause of this disease is unknown and also there is no cure available for it. But treatments and medications are available to manage symptoms.  In the US itself, one million people are diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Causes:

Though the exact cause of Parkinson's is unknown, it has been discovered that people suffering from the disease have insufficient amount of the chemical dopamine. This deficiency of dopamine is caused by loss of nerves cell in a part of the brain known as substantia nigra. The exact cause of loss in nerve cells is uncertain but scientists hold genetic and environmental factors responsible. Parkinson's is more common in men than women.

Symptoms:

Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease are usually mild and mostly go unnoticed. In the beginning the person may feel slight tremor and have to exert more pressure in standing. Other mild symptoms are softness of voice, change in handwriting, forgetfulness, and feeling of depression. These symptoms are noticed by others first. The slowness in movement and expression are often the most noticed.  The main symptoms of Parkinson's are:

1.        slow response

2.        decrease in blinking of eye

3.        shaky balance

4.        difficulty in swallowing

5.        dizziness during standing

Risk Factors:

Age: Parkinson's usually develop in people older than 60 though symptoms starts around 50.

Hereditary: Parkinson's can also be hereditary and having close relative diagnosed with it increases your risk more.

Toxins: Constant exposure to toxicants like herbicides and pesticides increases the chance of Parkinson's.

Treatment:

At present there is no cure available for Parkinson's. But there are treatments available to keep the symptoms in check and maintain your normal life as long as possible. Early stages of Parkinson's do not require any treatment or medication but as the symptoms increase you have to visit the doctor regularly. Supportive treatments for Parkinson's include physiotherapy, occupational therapy and sometimes surgery.