Understanding Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease that gets worse gradually, and affects the part of the brain that coordinates body movements. For people with Parkinson’s disease, it will be difficult to regulate body movements, including when speaking, writing and walking. This disease is a disease that has a progressive nature.
This disease can affect a small part of the midbrain called substantia nigra. This section serves to send messages to various kinds of nerves found in the spine. Then, this condition will control the muscles in the body so that the sufferer is difficult to regulate body movements. One of the substances that affect the body movement is dopamine.
The drop in dopamine levels is thought to be one of the causes of the appearance of signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. It is also able to affect and cause disrupted brain activity.
Parkinson’s disease risk factors
Risk factors that can affect this disease include:
- Age. Younger adults have this disease less often. This disease usually attacks humans from middle age to old age. Over time, the risk of this disease will increase. Age 60 years and even more will be at high risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
- Heredity. Having close relatives and family who suffer from this disease can increase the risk experienced by us. However, this risk can be considered a small risk unless the person has many families with a history of Parkinson’s.
- Gender. Men are more often at risk of this disease than women.
- Poison exposure. Exposure to toxins from pesticides can increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease symptoms
A person affected by this disease has a characteristic movement when walking. Namely, with a bent walking position and no hand swing at all. This person will also become stiff in the middle of the step and even fall forward while walking. In general, this disease has symptoms including:
Tremor
Tremor is a condition that causes a person to be unable to control shaking. This condition usually appears in only one part of the body, such as the hands and fingers. Tremors are one of the main and typical symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Movement slows down
Parkinson’s disease can cause the body to lose coordination to regulate body movements. Body movements will slow down even more it becomes difficult even for simple activities.
Muscles become stiff
Parkinson’s is also able to cause someone who has it to experience stiffness in large muscles and small muscles. This condition will make it difficult to make facial expressions. Not only that, but stiff muscles can cause limited body movement and pain.
Balance disorders
Symptoms that get worse can cause sufferers to experience disturbances in their balance. In this case, people with this disease have a high risk of experiencing sudden falls while on the move.
Loss of reflexes and difficulty speaking
People who suffer from Parkinson’s disease also gradually become unable to perform automatic reflex movements. For example, swinging hands while walking, winking and catching objects.
As previously explained, this disease can get worse gradually. This disease is divided into 5 stages or stages. Including the following.
- Stage I. Symptoms that occur are mild and do not interfere with the sufferer’s quality of life.
- Stage II. The symptoms started to get worse. Characterized by difficulties in carrying out daily activities and it takes more time to complete.
- Stage III. This stage is called the intermediate stage. Balance begins to lose in sufferers, is slower to move, and easily falls without cause. In addition, sufferers will find it difficult to do light activities such as eating, wearing clothes and brushing their teeth.
- Stage IV. The symptoms that appear will be more severe. People who suffer from this disease will need help when walking and doing daily activities.
- Stage V. This stage is a stage that is more advanced than Parkinson’s disease. Sufferers will not be able to walk and are in dire need of assistance throughout their life.
How to prevent Parkinson’s disease
The method of prevention that can be done is by doing aerobic exercise. Aerobics that is done regularly can reduce the risk of the disease. Apart from doing aerobics, several studies have shown that consuming caffeine can prevent the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Even so, until now there is no strong evidence that consuming caffeine can reduce the risk of Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s disease diagnosis
There is no specific test to diagnose the disease. A neurologist or neurologist will diagnose this disease based on medical history, signs and symptoms, as well as a physical and neurological examination. Although this method can support the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, symptoms and neurological examinations are determinants of the correct diagnosis. The doctor will suggest doing laboratory tests such as blood tests to prevent other symptoms from appearing.
In addition to the examination, the doctor may give you medicine for the disease. Patients will be given a sufficient dose of medicine to see the benefits. Because, if the dose is low for one or even two days it will not have maximum effect. The impact of these drugs will greatly help diagnose Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease treatment
Until now, there has been no finding the right drug to cure the disease. Therapy may be one way to reduce the risk of developing motor symptoms, as well as how to improve them. All therapies are designed to help increase the amount of dopamine in the brain. Either by replacing, mimicking, and extending the effect by inhibiting the breaker.
Early therapy performed at the non-motor stage can delay the onset of motor symptoms. So that one’s quality of life can be extended. For sufferers, motor symptoms are advanced and cannot be controlled. One other way is to do surgery. The surgeon will implant electrode which is used to stimulate parts of the brain.
In other types of surgery, specific areas of the brain are capable of causing the symptoms of the disease to be destroyed. Apart from medication and surgery, changes in lifestyle and lifestyle must be made.
Sufferers must regularly exercise, physical therapy, and talk therapy. This method will be very useful.
Also Read: 10 Health Benefits of Green Tea
Natural way to prevent Parkinson’s disease
Maybe you can do simple ways to prevent the disease. Here’s the explanation.
Art activities
Doing art activities such as drawing, making handicrafts, mosaics and other crafts. The activities carried out are able to make brain and muscle coordination better. These activities will give you a happy feeling.
Caffeine
The caffeine in coffee can reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. However, don’t consume coffee too much either.
Chemical lifestyle
You should increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits that are rich in antioxidants. Such as berries, kiwi and other vegetables. The polyphenol content in green tea can reduce toxins that irritate nerve cells. You should regularly consume green tea. Apply a healthy lifestyle by consuming foods with balanced nutrition. Hope it is useful.
