This summer, my uncle was diagnosed with Parkinson's Syndrome. After realizing the symptoms earlier in the year, we wanted him to go to the hospital and get a brains can so that they could find out exactly what was wrong with him. Originally, we thought that he had a tumor in his brain that was causing him to be anxious and often depressed. After watching him drink a cup of coffee at a get together, I noticed that his hands were shaking and he could barely drink the mug without spilling it. I suggested that he should check to find out if he had Parkinson's Disease. My family kept the idea in his head, and eventually he ended up going to the hospital to get a CAT scan, which proved that he had Parkinson's Disease.
My uncle is now on medicine to control the part of his brain that is affecting the rest of his body, such as his shaky hands or his tremors in other parts of his body. After being prescribed with the medicine, he is much happier and is more calm.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Parkinson's Disease 11-6-2008
Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. The four main symptoms are tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability, or impaired balance. These symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen with time. As they become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. Not everyone with one or more of these symptoms has PD, as the symptoms sometimes appear in other diseases as well.
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PD is both chronic, meaning it persists over a long period of time, and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse over time. It is not contagious. Although some PD cases appear to be hereditary, and a few can be traced to specific genetic mutations, most cases are sporadic — that is, the disease does not seem to run in families. Many researchers now believe that PD results from a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to one or more environmental factors that trigger the disease.
PD is the most common form of parkinsonism, the name for a group of disorders with similar features and symptoms. PD is also called primary parkinsonism or idiopathic PD. The term idiopathic means a disorder for which no cause has yet been found. While most forms of parkinsonism are idiopathic, there are some cases where the cause is known or suspected or where the symptoms result from another disorder. For example, parkinsonism may result from changes in the brain's blood vessels.
www.healthynj.org/dis-con/parkinsons/main.htm
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PD is both chronic, meaning it persists over a long period of time, and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse over time. It is not contagious. Although some PD cases appear to be hereditary, and a few can be traced to specific genetic mutations, most cases are sporadic — that is, the disease does not seem to run in families. Many researchers now believe that PD results from a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to one or more environmental factors that trigger the disease.
PD is the most common form of parkinsonism, the name for a group of disorders with similar features and symptoms. PD is also called primary parkinsonism or idiopathic PD. The term idiopathic means a disorder for which no cause has yet been found. While most forms of parkinsonism are idiopathic, there are some cases where the cause is known or suspected or where the symptoms result from another disorder. For example, parkinsonism may result from changes in the brain's blood vessels.
www.healthynj.org/dis-con/parkinsons/main.htm
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