Parkinson’s disease treatment
Parkinson’s is a chronic and progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the area of the brain which produces dopamine, a chemical which transmits signals between areas of the brain. When functioning smoothly they help in coordinating balanced muscle movement. This disease, however, causes neurons to die, leading to a reduction of dopamine in the brain. The basal ganglia are responsible for organizing movement commands from other parts of the brain and this is where the lack of dopamine causes the symptoms of Parkinson’s to occur. What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s? The symptoms of Parkinson’s are varied such as: Tremors Shaking of hand and foot Slow movement Stiffness of limbs Pain Balance and coordination problems Constipation Midlife Obesity Decreased facial expressions Speech changes Sleeping problems Parkinson’s disease diagnosis: While symptoms can be different for each patient, over 25% of patients are misdiagnosed when it comes to Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s disease diagnosis is difficult. Currently, there are no blood or laboratory tests available to help in Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. A CT and MRI will be used to rule out other disorders that cause similar symptoms. A detailed neurologic history will be taken. This interrogation will include questions about the patient’s symptoms, medications, and...
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