Signs and Symptoms of Parkinsons Disease - Research Paper Example

PARKINSON DISEASE By Location Parkinson disease Introduction Parkinson’s disease received attention by in 1817when doctor James Parkinson described in an essay referring to the diseases a shaking palsy. For over a century, the name shaking palsy remained in use in reference to the diseases. Many people did not have the basic knowledge concerning the diseases during that time, and they often highlighted that the condition caused paralysis. However, medical advances have made it possible for people to understand Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a central nervous system disorder. The disease involves the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain. Usually, the nerve cells that degenerate because of Parkinson’s diseases are those located in the basal ganglia. In addition, Parkinson’s disease contributes to the loss of nerve cells in the substantia nigra, which is a component of the brainstem (Carranza 2013, p. 67). Worth noting is the fact that the cells affected by Parkinson’s are responsible for the production of dopamine, which is a critical neurochemical messenger playing a key role in coordinating normal movement. Usually, dopamine forms the start of a circuit of messages responsible for the functionality of normal movement. Unfortunately, Parkinson’s disease affects nerve cells that produce dopamine reducing the level of stimulation in the receptors involved in the coordination of normal movement. More specifically, the receptors in the basal ganglia circuit fail to undergo active stimulation resulting in challenges in movement. Patients with this disease, suffer from movement with tremors, loss of balance, stiffness, as well as slow moving. This paper will describe the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, as well as the current treatments used in treating the disease. As highlighted above, Parkinson’s disease causes the degenerations of neurons. However, researchers have been unable to describe the specific reason or cause that triggers the degeneration of neurons. The degeneration of neurons remains to be an area of interest or many researchers who understand the social effects, as well as the economic implications of the disease. In addition, the progression of the diseases can be highly debilitating denying an individual the freedom to move around or have a proper body balance (Chaudhuri 2009, p. 78). Evidently, the past few years have seen many researchers make remarkable progress in understanding the disease. Acceleration of such understanding has helped manage the condition of many patients with the disease. Current research focuses on developing further understanding of the cause of the disease, diagnostic procedure, and treatment methodologies. Currently, diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease only relies on a patient’s history as well as the clinical examination by a physician who can identify the signs (Christensen & Tuite 2005, p. 94). As mentioned earlier, diagnostic procedures involving either blood samples or radiology tests are yet to be developed. Whom Parkinson’s disease affects Parkinson’s disease can affect both women and men, especially after the age of 60. Parkinson’s disease becomes pronounced at 60, although individuals may exhibit some early signs and symptoms before the age of 60. In other cases, Parkinson’s disease can appear under the age of 40 although such occurrences are uncommon. In very rare cases, it does affect individuals under the age of 20. Research has highlighted that men are more susceptible to developing this disease than women. The reason for this is that there are more reported cases of male patients than the female ones. However, scientists have been unable to describe factors that increase the susceptibility in men. The progression of the disease occurs differently as doctors have observed in different patients (Fietzek et al 2014, p. 910). Individuals who develop the disease at an earlier age are more likely to register a severe progression. Signs and Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease In its initial stages, Parkinson’s disease makes patients feel weak or experience fatigue easily. Usually, the weakness, in this case, surrounds activities related to the movement. Initial symptoms have been described as unilateral because they appear on one side of the body (De Luka et al 2014, 348). It takes time before one can experience the symptoms on the other side of the body. In the early stages, patients describe either shaking or trembling of the hands even when resting. Other individuals drug one leg and their handwriting become smaller while their voices change (Grover et al 2015, p. 70). In some patients, facial expressions become different, and one faces difficulties when getting out a chair or a car. Notably, stressful situations only serve to accelerate the initial symptoms (Hanganu et al 2014, p. 7). Researchers have described the primary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. One of these symptoms involves balance problems as well as the impairment of posture. The loss of balance occurs, then the disease has progressed for some time. It can prove highly debilitating as patients experience dizziness because of the inability to strike a balance of their body. Maintaining an upright posture becomes a challenge (Leader & Leader 2006, p. 54). Corrective measures do not produce any positive effects and may even trigger a fall in the patient. When this occurs, patients have no choice but to use balance aids. An additional primary symptom is bradykinesia. Bradykinesia is a Greek term denoting the slow movement experienced by Parkinson’s disease patients (Löhle et al 2014, p. 650). Some patients register reduced eye blinks, poor fine motor coordination, as well as an evident slowness while initiating any form of movement. With time, it becomes difficult for patients to turn over while in bed. The slowness is also accompanied with Micrographia, which remarkably reduces the size of one’s handwriting. Rigidity has been identified as a primary symptom of Parkinson’s disease (Magennis & Corry 2013, p. 168). Patients experiencing rigidity have tightened muscles when resting or when making movements. The tightness occurs in the limb muscles, neck, or the trunk. Patients who experience this form of rigidity confuse it for arthritis. In addition, individuals experience tremor at rest. Tremor at rest is defined as the shaking palsy, which involves the slow and rhythmic tremors (Magennis, Lynch, & Corry 2014, p. 68). For many people, this kind of tremor may only appear on one hand and spread to the other after some time. In other cases, the feet and the legs also experience tremor while at rest. Notably, there are patients who report shaking of the lips, jaws, head, and neck (Nass & Przedborski 2008, p. 88). The rest tremor is one of the symptoms used to identify Parkinson’s disease. It fades away when an individual indulges in purposeful movements. In certain cases, the tremor may persist, and an individual may experience the shaking during various movements. Recent research has also revealed that some people experience an internal tremor (Nolden, Tartavoulle, & Porche 2014, p. 503). Internal tremor is a symptom that a physician cannot observe because only the individual can feel it. Gait is also a defining symptom of the Parkinson’s disease. Usually, it reduces the natural swinging of the arms when an individual is walking. The advanced case of gait involves the slowing down of steps, which also become smaller. When the disease is in the advanced stage, some people experience freezing in, which someones feet seem glued to the service. Freezing is a common case in elevators and doorways (Olanow, Stocchi, & Lang 2011, p. 120). Researchers have described the secondary symptoms of the Parkinson’s disease, which are different from the primary symptoms. One of the secondary symptoms is changing speech. Some individuals experience speech problems with either their voices becoming soft or fading away sometimes. Usually, changes in both volume and emotions of the voice may also be evident. Other people begin to shuffle words and experience hoarseness. In the advanced cases of the disease, stuttering may occur (‘Parkinsons Disease’ 2010, n.p). Other secondary symptoms are related to swallowing (dysphagia). The secondary symptom occurs in the advanced stage of the disease, and it makes an individual experience poor coordination of the food movement. The poor coordination of the food movement causes the pooling of food in the throat (Reddy et al 2014, p. 13). Swallowing problems occur when an individual is taking either solid or liquid food. Other patients experience drooling because saliva accumulates in the back part of the throat, and the individual cannot swallow such saliva. The accumulated saliva ends up spilling out of the mouth. A few patients register ankle swelling because body fluids accumulate in the lower parts of the legs because of limited muscle movement (Vasile et al 2014, p. 129). The drooling symptom is common in other conditions and may be easily confused when it occurs. A few people with Parkinson’s disease also register visual problems, complaining of double vision or the bouncing around of the eyes. Weight loss may also occur in some patients, although this may result from other conditions. When an individual does not suffer from other conditions, then a physician can ascertain that weight loss has resulted from Parkinson’s disease (Volpe et al 2014, p. 1215). The reduction in weight is a result of poor appetite, swallowing problems, gastrointestinal disturbances, and other abnormal involuntary movements. As mentioned, some individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease complain of gastrointestinal problems and constipation. The slowing down of body movements may also affect bowel movement adversely. Some individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease also complains of urinary problems. Urinary problems involve retention or increased frequency of urinating. The main cause of urinary problem is the impaired reflex mechanisms that determine the emptying of the bladder. Sexual dysfunction is also a secondary symptom in some patients. The dysfunction results from both psychological issues as well as neurochemical effects triggered by the disease. The impairment of body movements may also affect erection in men making it impossible for them to maintain an erection. Other patients experience dizziness, body aches, and dystonia (Weiner, Lang, & Shulman 2007, p. 97). Notably, all these changes trigger depression as well as sleep disturbances. Treatment Options for Parkinson’s disease As highlighted above, researchers are still focusing on developing a specific cure for Parkinson’s disease. Currently, the available treatment options seek to improve the quality of life of many patients by addressing the symptoms. Treatment options vary between patients because the severity of symptoms varies. There are different medications used in the modern day to treat Parkinson’s disease. One of the common drugs is levodopa, which has the effects of dopamine upon reaching the brain. Other drugs used are dopamine agonists, which exhibit similar effects with dopamine in the brain by mimicking its mechanism of action. In addition, physicians also prescribe monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor and COMT (catechol O-methyltransferase) inhibitors. Other options include antivirals, physical therapy, exercise, speech therapy, and occupational therapy (Wong, Gilmour, & Ramage-Morin 2014, p. 13). In some situations, patients may receive surgery, which involves the deep brain stimulation. In the United Kingdom, alternative medical procedures such as massage, acupuncture, and other herbal remedies are used by 40% of the patients. Conclusion Evidently, the Parkinson’s disease can prove to be highly debilitating. The symptoms described above have the potential to affect the lives of individuals immensely. The symptoms of the effects make them very dependent and desperate for effective treatment. Future research may serve to explain the real causes of Parkinson’s disease, which will enable the successful development of a potential cure. For now, patients can only rely on the available treatment options in an effort to improve the quality of their lives. Bibliography Carranza, M 2013, Parkinsons Disease : A Guide To Medical Treatment, Torino, Italy : SEEd, 2013., OhioLINK Library Catalog – LR, EBSCOhost, viewed 28 January 2015. Chaudhuri, KR 2009, Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinsons Disease, Oxford: Oxford University Press, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost, viewed 28 January 2015. Christensen, J, & Tuite, P 2005, Parkinsons Disease : An Essential Guide For The Newly Diagnosed, New York : Marlowe, c2005., OhioLINK Library Catalog – LR, EBSCOhost, viewed 28 January 2015. 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