Parkinson’s Disease is a brain disorder that causes multiple problems including shaking, balance problems and coordination among other things. As time progresses, the disease worsens, eventually leading to problems with walking and talking, and sufferers require increasing levels of care at home.
What Does Parkinson’s Disease Affect In The Body?
Parkinson’s Disease is a condition that affects parts of the brain and, over time, these areas become damaged and with this comes a variety of symptoms and problems. There are three main symptoms that are apparent with Parkinson’s Disease.
Involuntary shaking is seen in certain parts of the body while movements can become a lot slower. Along with this, muscles become stiff and movement becomes limited. In addition, there are many other symptoms that a person might experience including depression, balance problems, sleeping issues, a loss of sense of smell and memory problems.
This can vary between individuals.
What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?
The cause of Parkinson’s Disease is a loss of nerve cells located in a certain area of the brain known as the Substantia Nigra. This causes the chemical dopamine, which is present in the brain, to reduce. This chemical helps to regulate movement in the body and a reduction makes a number of symptoms to become apparent. What causes these nerve cells to disappear is still unknown but it is thought to relate to a blend of environmental and genetic factors.
How Does A Doctor Diagnose Parkinson’s Disease?
There are no specific tests that can confidently show that an individual has Parkinson’s Disease. Their GP will discuss symptoms and problems and will then ask the individual to carry out mental and physical tasks including moving and walking around. If an individual is thought to have Parkinson’s Disease then the patient will be referred to a neurologist. They will run several tests as they are specialists in conditions that affect the brain and the nervous system.
How Does Parkinson’s Disease Develop?
Parkinson’s Disease is known to develop in stages.
Stage one is the earliest stage and the symptoms are only mild and are commonly only seen on one side of the body. They might be mild enough at this point that the individual might not seek medical help. Symptoms can involve a tremor in one hand, or one leg might feel more clumsy than the other.
Stage two is still thought to be an early stage. At this point, individuals might lose their facial expression on both sides of their face or experience decreased blinking and even speech abnormalities. They may experience slurred speed and see changes in their posture.
Stage three is known as the mid-stage and this is where patients experience a loss of balance and their movements become slower. Falls are common due to a lack of balance while all of the other symptoms are present.
Stage four is where the disease has become disabling and while patients might be able to walk without aid, they are unable to do so steadily. They are likely to be unable to live an independent life and will need assistance with their daily lives.
Stage five is where the disease is most advanced and patients are now unable to get out of bed without assistance or get up from a chair. They fall when turning or standing and might even freeze or stumble while walking. Around-the-clock care is required which means that they will need assistance with all daily activities.
At Beloved Home Care, we provide assistance in their own homes for those who are affected by Parkinson’s Disease in the Trafford area. Contact us to find out more.