More than 1 million people in the U.S. have Parkinson’s disease, and as many as 60,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. We at CiminoCare know and care for individuals afflicted by this disease. Many of our staff are committed to helping find a cure through fundraising. Each year, we help raise money through walks and other efforts – working as a team to help put an end to the disease.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, degenerative neurological disorder that affects one in 100 people over age 60. Parkinson’s strikes 50 percent more men than women. The average age at onset is 60, but some are diagnosed at 40 or younger.
Parkinson’s involves the malfunction and death of vital nerve cells in the brain, called neurons. The job of some of these dying neurons is to produce dopamine, a chemical that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. As the disease progresses, these neurons produce less and less dopamine, and the person loses movement control.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person, but primary motor signs include the following:
- Tremor or the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
- Slowness of movement
- Rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trun
- Instability of posture or impaired balance and coordination
Medications and Treatments
Many medications and treatments are available to help manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s, but none yet reverse the effects of the disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors may also suggest lifestyle changes, especially ongoing aerobic exercise. Physical therapy that focuses on balance and stretching may also be effective. Speech-language pathologists may be able to help improve speech difficulties. In later cases, surgical procedures such as deep brain stimulation may be recommended.
What’s New in Parkinson’s Treatments?
Deep brain stimulation. For two decades, deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for Parkinson’s patients has been successful, says the National Parkinson Foundation. Evidence shows that DBS has meaningfully helped tens of thousands of patients worldwide, improving tremor, dyskinesia (involuntary movements), on-off fluctuations (reduced effectiveness of levodopa medication), and other Parkinson’s symptoms. DBS has fallen short in slowing disease progression, including walking, talking, and thinking. Some scientists advocate using guide tubes (straws that DBS leads are fed through to precisely place them into the brain) to deliver growth factors to improve brain function. There is also interest in developing DBS leads connected to pumps that could continuously supply factors to the brain while maintaining the electrical current derived from the DBS device.
The relationship between the gastrointestinal system and Parkinson’s disease. Evidence has been mounting in support of a relationship between the gastrointestinal (GI) system and Parkinson’s disease. Many pathologists and neurologists believe that Parkinson’s may start in the gut. Studies have found that many GI symptoms, such as constipation, occur as prominent and disabling Parkinson’s symptoms. People with Parkinson’s who are experiencing motor fluctuations that cannot be controlled by medication changes are advised to ask their doctor to test for H. Pylori (a common type of gut bacteria) infection.
All of us at CiminoCare look forward to the day when Parkinson’s is a disease that no longer afflicts people around the world.
