A Look at Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease occurs when certain nerve cells in a part of the brain die or become impaired. In someone without Parkinson’s disease, the cells produce a vital chemical known as dopamine. Dopamine allows smooth, coordinated function of the body’s muscles and movement. When approximately 80% of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear.
According to the National Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Parkinson’s disease does not affect men more than women, or vice versa. In the United States, it is estimated that 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, joining the 1.5 million Americans who currently have Parkinson’s disease. While the condition usually develops after the age of 65, 15% of those diagnosed are under 50.
The strongest signs of Parkinson’s disease include: shaking, slowness of movement, stiffness and difficulty with balance.
There are several treatment options for Parkinson’s disease. NorthShore University HealthSystems states, that “Parkinson’s is a relentless, progressive disease; management of this condition as soon as it is diagnosed is critical to patients’ long-term success. Patient and family education are key to our innovative team care. Lifestyle changes including regular exercise and stress reduction are very important for Parkinson’s patients. A variety of medications are available to help control Parkinson’s symptoms, and new drugs to help slow the progression of this disease are in the pipeline with clinical trials”. Another option available to those with Parkinson’s is Deep Brain Stimulation.
[...] previous look at Parkinson’s disease revealed many insights on the statistics of the disease, as well as possible [...]