Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson's disease symptoms can affect one or both sides of the body and include the following:
- Blinking slowly (tremors involving half of the body)
- Constipation
- Swallowing Difficulties
- Drooling
- Balance and walking difficulties
- There is no expression on the face (like you are wearing a mask)
This condition is more frequent in those over the age of 50 and is one of the most common nervous system diseases in the elderly. Parkinson's plus syndrome develops when the dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain are gradually damaged. In the lack of dopamine, nerve cells cannot function correctly, resulting in muscular function loss. The harm deteriorates with time. It is unknown why these brain cells lose away.
Treatment
Despite the fact that there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, certain symptoms may frequently be managed with medication, surgery, and other therapy.
Medicines
Drugs to treat Parkinson's disease
In order to address the signs of Parkinson's disease, medications can:
- Increasing the brain's dopamine levels
- Influencing more brain chemicals, such as neurotransmitters, which transport information between brain cells
- Symptom management for non-movement
Levodopa is the major treatment for Parkinson's disease. Levodopa is converted by nerve cells into dopamine to restore the depleting levels in the brain. Levodopa is typically used in combination with the drug carbidopa. Carbidopa lessens the quantity of levodopa required to treat symptoms by preventing or reducing some of the adverse effects of levodopa medication, including nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, and restlessness.
Parkinson's patients shouldn't discontinue taking levodopa without consulting their doctor. Serious negative effects from abruptly quitting the medication include becoming immobile or having trouble breathing.
Other drugs may also be recommended by the doctor to treat Parkinson's symptoms. Such as:
Agonists of dopamine promote the synthesis of dopamine in the brain.
By slowing down the enzymes that break down dopamine in the brain, enzyme inhibitors (such as MAO-B inhibitors and COMT inhibitors) increase the quantity of dopamine in the body.
Amantadine to lessen uncontrollable movements.
Anticholinergic medications to lessen muscular stiffness and tremors.
Surgical procedures
Stimulation of the deep brain
The doctor could advise deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease patients who do not react well to treatment. An area of the brain is surgically implanted with electrodes, and these electrodes are connected to a tiny electrical device inserted in the chest. Many of the movement-related symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including tremors, slowness of movement, and rigidity, may be alleviated by the device and electrodes, which painlessly stimulate particular parts of the brain that regulate movement.
Advanced Treatment
A minimally invasive therapy called MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) has assisted some Parkinson's disease sufferers in controlling their tremors. An Ultrasound is guided by an MRI of the part of the brain where the tremors begin. The tremors are caused by places that are burned by the extremely hot ultrasound waves.