Chemical changes in the Brain
In Parkinson’s disease (PD) there is slow and progressive loss and deterioration of nerve cells of the brain especially those involved with regulation and control of movements.
In a healthy person, an adequate amount of dopamine (a chemical messenger present in the body) is present in substantia nigra (an area of cluster of nerve cells in the brain). Normally, dopamine is carried by the nerve cells from this area to another cluster of nerve cells known as the corpus striatum where these nerves terminate. Here, along with dopamine, acetylcholine, another chemical messenger, regulates the bodily movements.
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Parkinson’s disease, unless in the late stages, should not be a contraindication for traveling, provided adequate preparations are made in advance. Although it may be intimidating for a PD patient to consider traveling to distant unfamiliar places, certain basic considerations, if kept in mind, can make the trip comfortable, enjoyable, and problem-free.
Parkinson’s disease medicines can be expensive and the financial impact can be devastating in the long term, especially if health insurance is an issue. It is not uncommon for any chronic disease sufferer to seek alternate sources, especially if the more expensive branded medicine may be available at a cheaper rate.
However, the possibility should be kept in mind that the drug obtained from such sources is cheaper because it is a counterfeit or fake. This could mean that it may not have all the necessary ingredients, the proportions may be wrong, or it may contain harmful substances. In spite of taking the drugs as prescribed by the doctor, the patient may have slow or no improvement at all or may even deteriorate drastically.
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Since Parkinson’s disease management depends mainly on oral medication, patient compliance or patient adherence to the medicines prescribed as well as not quitting the drugs altogether without informing the doctor is a very important issue. The absolute necessity of taking the medicines at proper times and in their prescribed doses cannot be overemphasized and should be clearly understood by the patient, family members or other caregivers. The dangers of quitting Parkinson’s disease drugs without informing the doctor also needs to be stressed.
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Hypersalivation or excessive secretion of saliva is a symptom which can be very distressing for a person, and more so in a patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease, who already has to cope with so many other problems caused by the disease. Hypersalivation, leading to drooling, can be a manifestation of the condition or it can be due to drug therapy in Parkinson’s disease. There are various other causes for excessive salivation which may be superimposed in a person already suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
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Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disease of the brain where there is decreased production of the chemical transmitter known as dopamine. The classical symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia (slowing of movement) and loss of postural reflexes. Drugs are the mainstay of treatment in Parkinson’s disease and while there is no definite cure, drug therapy is used to help control the symptoms.
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