PARKINSON’S IS TYPICALLY VIEWED AS A CONDITION WHICH MAINLY AFFECTS THE ELDERLY. HOWEVER THERE IS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH YOUNG ONSET PARKINSON’S I.E. DIAGNOSED BEFORE THE AGE OF 60. IT IS A PROGRESSIVE, DEGENERATIVE CONDITION, HOWEVER THE PACE OF ITS PROGRESS IS VERY VARIABLE. ALTHOUGH THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN, IT IS CONNECTED WITH A LACK OF THE NEUROTRANSMITTER DOPAMINE. THIS IS A CHEMICAL IN THE BRAIN WHICH HELPS TRANSLATE MESSAGES TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY SO THAT THEY WORK PROPERLY. THE PICTURES BELOW SHOW (SEE THE RED AREAS) WHAT HAPPENS IN PARKINSON'S ALBEIT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. BY THE TIME SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON'S HAVE BEGUN TO SHOW, A PERSON IS LIKELY TO HAVE LOST APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THEIR DOPAMINE PRODUCING BRAIN CELLS.
THE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH PARKINSON’S ARE SLOWNESS, STIFFNESS AND TREMOR. HOWEVER IT CAN ALSO AFFECT THE FUNCTIONING OF BLADDER AND BOWEL, BALANCE, SPEECH, COGNITIVE ABILITIES AND MOOD.
THE MAIN TREATMENT IS MEDICATION. THERE IS A SURGICAL PROCEDURE KNOWN AS DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION WHICH INVOLVES THE INSERTION OF A “BRAIN PACEMAKER” WHICH STIMULATES A PART OF THE BRAIN. AS WITH ALL TREATMENTS AND SURGICAL PROCEDURES THERE ARE RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS SOME OF WHICH CAN BE QUITE DIFFICULT IN THEMSELVES.
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO CURE FOR THIS CONDITION ALTHOUGH THERE IS CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH GOING ON WORLDWIDE TO TRY TO FIND A WAY OF STOPPING ITS PROGRESS IF NOT REVERSING ITS IMPACT. THERE ARE HOWEVER A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES WHICH CAN BE HELPFUL, AND IN PARTICULAR, EXERCISE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
THE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH PARKINSON’S ARE SLOWNESS, STIFFNESS AND TREMOR. HOWEVER IT CAN ALSO AFFECT THE FUNCTIONING OF BLADDER AND BOWEL, BALANCE, SPEECH, COGNITIVE ABILITIES AND MOOD.
THE MAIN TREATMENT IS MEDICATION. THERE IS A SURGICAL PROCEDURE KNOWN AS DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION WHICH INVOLVES THE INSERTION OF A “BRAIN PACEMAKER” WHICH STIMULATES A PART OF THE BRAIN. AS WITH ALL TREATMENTS AND SURGICAL PROCEDURES THERE ARE RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS SOME OF WHICH CAN BE QUITE DIFFICULT IN THEMSELVES.
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO CURE FOR THIS CONDITION ALTHOUGH THERE IS CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH GOING ON WORLDWIDE TO TRY TO FIND A WAY OF STOPPING ITS PROGRESS IF NOT REVERSING ITS IMPACT. THERE ARE HOWEVER A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES WHICH CAN BE HELPFUL, AND IN PARTICULAR, EXERCISE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
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