Pregnancy in a case of Parkinson’s disease is a rare phenomenon because of the obvious fact that Parkinson’s disease occurs most commonly in the elderly, when women are well past the age of menopause, or a woman who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may opt not to become pregnant. However, Parkinson’s disease does occur in the younger age group (early onset of Parkinson’s disease) in a small percentage of cases, and also the fact that women nowadays are opting to have children at a much later age, does increase the incidence of pregnancy in Parkinson’s disease.

There is evidence to show that the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may become aggravated during the course of pregnancy, most likely as a result of the circulating hormones during pregnancy. Various studies are currently being conducted to study the effects of medicines used in Parkinson’s disease on pregnancy.

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Since there is no definite diagnostic test to confirm the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, only proper history taking and examination of the patient for specific signs and symptoms can lead to diagnosis. The typical features of tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement) and loss of postural reflex which is present in Parkinson’s disease is also a feature of certain other diseases, so tests may need to be done to rule out these other disorders. New tests are constantly being developed for quicker and more conclusive diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease but currently, final diagnosis is widely based on that of the practitioner’s findings and discretion.

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Parkinson’s disease dementia is often difficult to differentiate from dementia due to other causes and it may be due to the disease itself or as a result of the drugs taken for the disease. Dementia is a state where there is loss of previously learnt functions, or progressively impaired memory, or a marked change in personality and may be accompanied by hallucinations or depression. In Parkinson’s disease the development of dementia is a late phenomenon, often occurring 10 to 15 years after onset of the disease, and it develops in about 20% of patients. Dementia is less likely to develop in early onset of Parkinson’s disease was below 50 and more likely if it symptoms of Parkinson’s disease started after the age of 70.

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One of the most significant symptoms noted in the early stage of Parkinson’s disease is the characteristic tremor, especially of the hands, often referred to as the Parkinson’s tremor. This is among the earliest symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and often the main reason why new sufferers seek medical treatment even if they had previously ignored other initial symptoms. A Parkinson’s tremor may vary from mild to severe and is initially noted in the hands, particularly the jaw, although other muscles may be affected, like the jaw muscles.

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Understanding Parkinson’s disease

When a person is first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease it can seem for them like the world is coming to an end, this isn’t the case however for once diagnosis is made although there isn’t a cure steps can be taken to treat it. Research into Parkinson’s disease is coming along in leaps and bounds and new drug treatments are being continually developed.

In the meantime there are several ways that the symptoms of those suffering from Parkinson’s disease can be helped. Here is some practical advice for those suffering from the disease and for their family and friends. (more…)

Parkinson’s disease guide

The exact cause of Parkinson’s disease isn’t known and it is a disease which gradually gets worse over time and affects thousands of people throughout the world. It is a disease which affects people of all races, gender and age, though it is more prevalent in those over the age of 65. It is a particularly debilitating disease with symptoms that affect the movement, gait, posture and speech in the sufferer.

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is the degeneration of an area deep in the brain called the basal ganglia, or to be more precise the substantia nigra. This area in the brain contains black pigmented cells which in a normal human being produce chemical transmitters, of which the most important is dopamine. These transmitters are chemical which pass on messages from one cell to the other, they either stimulate or inhabit as necessary. (more…)

Understanding Parkinson’s disease

Since Parkinson’s disease is brought on due to the lack of Dopamine in the brain much of the treatment for the disease relies on ways of replacing, stimulating and substitution of this chemical. Although some very effective drugs have been developed in the treatment of Parkinson’s they do however have their disadvantages, therefore the treatment of the disease doesn’t just rely on medication but on several measures combined together as a package. Some of which include:.

• Exercise.
• Changes in diet.
• General activity.
• Attitude towards the disease.
• Medication.

As Parkinson’s is a chronic disease which progresses the overall aim of the treatment is to maintain the sufferer’s quality of life for as long as possible and not to cure the disease itself. The type of treatment available for you depends on certain factors such as: (more…)

Understanding Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a disease which affects the control of muscles and affects the movement, speech and posture. It is a degenerative disease of the body’s central nervous system and one which is often characterised by hand tremor, slow physical movement and rigidity of the muscles.

The excessive muscle contraction that is foremost in Parkinson’s disease is caused by insufficient formation of Dopamine, which is a chemical which is naturally produced in our body. While the majority of Parkinson’s disease has no known cause it can sometimes be caused through head trauma, toxicity, genes and other medical disorders. (more…)

Understanding Parkinson’s disease

The biggest single risk factor associated with contracting Parkinson’s disease is old age; men also stand a higher chance of it than do women. Family history is also another factor particularly when a first generation family member has the disease, if this family member is a parent or sibling then chances are estimated to double for yourself to developing the disease. It is thought that this increased risk is due to a number of factors including genetic and environmental which close relations have in common.

The one single factor which has been most consistently associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease is smoking, the exact reasons for this has never been determined but smoking does seem to offer some protection against developing Parkinson’s disease. However the negative effects that smoking has on our health far outweighs the benefit of not developing Parkinson’s from smoking, it should by no means be considered as a way of preventing the disease. (more…)

Understanding Parkinson’s disease

There are certain mental problems which have been associated with Parkinson’s disease as symptoms of the disease. These include hallucinations, paranoia and delusions, some of which are thought to be brought on by the side effects of medication while some may be complications of the disease itself.

Hallucinations, paranoia and delusion are all perception disturbances; the most common form of hallucination is the patient’s ability to see things which others don’t. Delusions are personal beliefs that go against fact or reason and are false beliefs.

Paranoia usually brings feelings of being followed or beliefs that you are going to be harmed in some unforeseen way. The good news is that these disturbances of the mind can be controlled in almost all patients suffering from them as part of Parkinson’s disease. (more…)