What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the brain. Movement and coordination in your body are controlled in part by a chemical in your brain called dopamine. In Parkinson's disease, dopamine-producing nerve cells are damaged, gradually reducing dopamine levels in the parts of the brain thought to control movement. The loss of dopamine causes a variety of movement problems, including:
- shaking (tremor)
- difficulty walking
- muscle stiffness or aching
- slowness of movement
- small handwriting
- decreased facial expression
Learn more about Parkinson's disease in this brief Introduction to Parkinson's Disease Animation.
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What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
Symptoms of Parkinson's disease vary widely, affecting different people in different ways. Because Parkinson's disease is a progressive disease, symptoms may worsen as time goes on.
Early stage symptoms may include:
- Tremor on one side of the body when at rest
- Arm swing on only one side of the body when walking
- Slowness of movement
- Vivid dreams or restless sleep
Moderate stage symptoms may include:
- Tremor on both sides of the body
- Shuffling gait
- Reduced speech volume
Advanced stage symptoms may include:
- Significant changes in gait
- Slowness of thought
- Unpredictable response to medication
- Assistance required for activities of daily living
Learn more about the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including how to tell if your symptoms may be related to another disorder, with this brief Parkinson's Disease Symptoms Animation.
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What causes Parkinson's disease?
Movement and coordination in your body are controlled in part by a chemical in your brain called dopamine. In Parkinson's disease, dopamine-producing nerve cells are damaged, gradually reducing dopamine levels in the parts of the brain thought to control movement. Without dopamine, the brain doesn't send signals to the muscles so that they can function properly.
The cause of Parkinson's disease is still unknown. Many researchers believe Parkinson's disease may be caused by a combination of genetic factors and environmental factors, such as exposure to certain toxins.
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Who gets Parkinson's disease?
- As many as one million people in the United States have Parkinson's disease.
- Parkinson's disease usually develops after age 50 ; only 15% of people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are under the age of 40.
- Parkinson's disease affects slightly more men than women.
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How do I know if I have Parkinson's disease?
Not all movement difficulties are related to Parkinson’s disease. If you are experiencing signs and symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, or have other reasons to believe you may have Parkinson's disease, take action and contact your physician. Early testing and diagnosis may help you begin managing your Parkinson's disease, or identify other conditions that may be causing the symptoms.
Learn more about the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including how to tell if your symptoms are related to another disorder, with this brief Parkinson's Disease Symptoms Animation.
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How is Parkinson's disease treated?
Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, but there are treatment options available to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson’s treatments primarily focus on increasing the levels of dopamine so the brain can send the right messages. Some treatments block the enzymes that break down remaining dopamine. Others stimulate dopamine cells. And treatments such as Levodopa (L-dopa) are designed to replace dopamine.
In extreme cases that are unresponsive to medication, surgery such as ablative surgery or Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), may be used to help manage symptoms and restore some of your daily functions.
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Where can I find a doctor who knows about Parkinson's disease?
- Ask your primary care physician for referrals. He or she should be able to provide the names of several neurologists or movement disorder specialists.
- Contact your insurance provider for a list of neurologists or movement disorder specialists within your network. If your network does not include neurologists or movement disorder specialists, request information about working with someone out-of-network.
- Seek referrals from others living with Parkinson's disease. This is one of many reasons support groups are an important resource.
- Consult Parkinson's disease advocacy groups.
- The National Parkinson Foundation can help you find a Parkinson's disease specialist in the U.S. These listings also note which specialists are members of the Movement Disorder Society.
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Where can I find other people with Parkinson's disease?
The National Parkinson Foundation can help you find a support group in your area. NPF also has a chat forum for people with Parkinson's disease.
You can also check with other Parkinson's disease advocacy groups to see if they have a chapter in your area or can direct you to local support groups.
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How can I stay informed about Parkinson's disease?
Enroll today to become a member of ParkinsonsHealth.com, and enjoy:
- Free subscription to the newsletter, a resource devoted to people and families living with Parkinson's disease.
- Free information on Parkinson's disease, including new breakthroughs in Parkinson's disease research.
- Access to special site features as they become available.
You can also pick up additional news and information from many of the Parkinson's disease advocacy organizations:
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What is a clinical trial and how can I participate?
A clinical trial is a drug research study to find out how well a drug works for a particular medical condition. It is usually conducted in a number of medical clinics at the same time, with many doctors, nurses and patients participating.
Clinical trials are one of the most important steps in advancing medical care for a wide variety of diseases, including Parkinson's disease. By participating in a clinical trial, you can be part of the very latest research that may help you and countless other patients in the future.
For a current list of clinical trials related to Parkinson's disease, visit ClinicalTrials.gov and type "Parkinson's" in the search box.
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What if my medication is not working like it used to?
Because Parkinson's disease is progressive, a treatment that has been effective for months or years may need to be changed over time.
After several years of taking carbidopa/levodopa, you may find that the benefits of the drug seem to wear off more quickly, resulting in what doctors call fluctuation from "on" to "off" time. When you are "on" you are able to move well, but when you are "off" you may have trouble again with tremor, slowed movement, increased stiffness, freezing (the inability to move), or difficulty walking.
Find out about another medication option concerning Parkinson's disease.
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