Parkinson’s Disease Facts

Fact#1: “Hormone of joy” disease

The disease is named after the English physician James Parkinson, who was born on April 11. He first described the symptoms in 200 years ago known now. According to his treatise, Parkinson’s disease is a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system.

Violations occur in the work of the brain. Neurons in the brain departments responsible for the production of dopamine die. These neurons are a hormone of joy and pleasure. They are also involved in the coordination of movements, decision-making process, regulation of learning and memory.

Fact#2: Parkinson’s – the second most common diagnosis in the world

Parkinson’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s. According to statistics, 7 to 10 million patients are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the world.

Doctors diagnosed many famous people with this nervous disease: boxers Mohammed Ali and Freddie Roach, racer Phil Hill. The diagnosis was also established in Salvador Dali, Pope John Paul II, musician Ozzy Osbourne, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Fact#3: The “younger” disease

The disease was considered “age-related” and diagnosed over 60. Increasingly, the first symptoms occur in 40-year-olds, or even younger.

Fact#4: Symptoms can accumulate for decades

An expressed symptom is a tremor of one arm at rest. The next stage is when both hands and head tremble. In the later stages of the disease, trembling of the eyelids and/or lower jaw, the tongue is manifested.

The early stages of the disease are characterized by hypersalivation and sweating, independent of ambient temperature and physical activity. Among the complaintsб еруку are: frequent urination, the gastrointestinal tract problems, pain in muscles and joints, increased waving of arms and legs while sleeping. It is difficult for patients to maintain balance when walking. The disease is often accompanied by impaired memory and the ability to formulate thoughts.

An important sign of the disease onset is a decrease in the severity of smell or its absence.

Naturally, the presence of one of the symptoms does not mean Parkinson’s disease, but it is better to pay attention to the “risk group”.

Fact# 5: You can’t be healed, but you can work

A “risk group” is people whose relatives suffered from Parkinson’s disease (about 10% of the population) and who could inherit it.

It is impossible to recover from Parkinson’s disease. After all, damaged neurons cannot be restored. Clinical symptoms appear only in the late stages when the patient has already died over 60% of neurons in the area of the brain responsible for motor functions. You can only take Parkinson’s disease’s medications to improve and prolong life. Besides, you should constantly monitor your health by a doctor.

With a mild form of the disease, people remain the ability to work if their work is not related to physical stress and the implementation of coordinated movements.