Parkinson’s Disease

What is Parkinson's?

It is a progressive disease that occurs due to the depletion of a substance in the brain called “dopamine”, which regulates the movement system over time.

What are the symptoms of the disease?

  • Slowness in movements
  • Tremors
  • Muscle Stiffness
  • Rigidity/Freezing
  • General stiffness
  • Imbalance
  • Difficulty walking
  • Stiffness in the facial features
  • Deterioration or shrinking in handwriting
  • Deterioration of speech and voice

Although it is defined as a movement disorder, the disease includes:

Decreased sense of smell, sleep disorders, constipation, frequent urination, changes in the character/temperament, it can be accompanied by symptoms that involve many other systems, such as depression or anxiety.

Parkinson's disease is commonly known as an ``old age disease,`` but can it also occur in young people?

Yes, Parkinson’s disease can be seen at a young age 5% of the patients are under the age of 40. The average age of onset for the disease is in the range of 50-60 years. Its oocurrence tends to increase with age.

Parkinson’s tremor is typically observed at rest and affects the hands or legs, ceasing during activity. Not every tremor is indicative of Parkinson’s disease. There are other causes of tremors such as Essential Tremor, Physiological Tremor, Dystonic Tremor, and Rubral Tremor.