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So in the last article, we have talked about Parkinson’s disease. In this article, we are going to know more about it- Overview, Symptoms, and what to do.

What is Parkinson’s disease- Let’s start with some basics- in the United States around 60000  people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year. Usually, people of 60+ age diagnosed with this, but it can also happen to 40 or less year old people. Doctors diagnose Parkinson's by checking the medical history and physical examination. They look for 2 or 3 classic motor symptoms which are resting tremor, stiffness, and slowness of movement, some people also experience walking imbalance problems.

It affects other body functions too such as cognitive changes, constipation, sleep problems, depression, etc. One of the hardest things about Parkinson’s that every person has their own unique journey with the disease. They all have different sets of symptoms.

So if everyone has different Parkinson’s, then what is the similarity? For that let’s take a look into the brain-  In Parkinson’s the brain cells that make dopamine stop working or die. When dopamine cells die, Parkinson’s symptoms emerge. Exactly why these cells die, is not understood. It could be caused by genetic environmental factors or a head injury. In most people, we can’t really say what the root cause of the disease is. 

Treatment- Treatment should be individualized. You have to work closely with your doctor to see what types of medications or the set of therapies works best for you. You need to find an expert. The right doctor can help you very much to lower your symptoms.

Also In my last article, I have mentioned some tips to increase your dopamine levels such as cold showers, exercising, meditation, etc. which can also be helpful.

The above article was inspired by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.