Understanding the Symptoms and Treatments of Parkinson’s Disease In this day and age, many people are affected with a wide range of diseases that can potentially last for a few months to a lifetime. However, there are a few factors that can alter the outcome of a disease depending on an individual’s environment and wellbeing. Some of the factors involved includes: age, gender, and genetics. It is commonly known that as we age throughout life, we have a higher risk to be prone to more than one disease that can ultimately affect our health in a detrimental manner. A familiar known disease that most likely affects the elderly is Parkinson’s Disease (PD).
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects motor movement, …show more content…
Nevertheless, there is an extensive range of therapies that the patients can benefit from to alleviate the symptoms that they may experience (Noble, 2007). It is known that men have a higher chance to develop PD which can be present from their adolescent years to adulthood. Although it is rare for this to occur at a young age, the onset of PD rapidly increases in individuals over the age of 80 (Noble, 2007). Physicians often look for premature symptoms related to dopamine deficiency when diagnosing patients. Such as, tremor, muscle rigidity, and bradykinesia (slowness of movement). Recent studies show that non-motor symptoms also play a critical role that indicates early signs of PD. This includes but is not limited to: weakened sense of smell, sleep difficulty, constipation, restless leg syndrome, and depression. Depression is one of the main characteristics of PD that causes a negative impact on a patient’s quality of life and is also responsible for an individual’s increased morbidity …show more content…
It is reported that the patient will display aggressive behavior during sleep (Noble, 2007). As well as between 40-60% of patients with REM behavior disorder are likely to develop PD. It is noted that up to 40% of patients who have PD, also undergo a significant amount of anxiety (Noble, 2007). People with PD are often vulnerable to certain mental disorders and it is typical for them to experience it on a heightened level. Alterations to medication regimens can also result in increased anxiety in patients. For this reason, it is important to address the patient a simple explanation and written instructions on new treatment ideas. Cognitive impairment is one of the early indicators of PD. Bradyphrenia (delayed process of information), personality change, and poor memory are some of the traits that a person deals with on a daily basis. Furthermore, it makes it difficult for patients to process several instructions at one time and are unable to multitask. Many patients are undertreated due to fear of abiding to new drug administrations. Surprisingly, only about 10% of patients with PD are likely to take their medication as prescribed (Weernink et. al.,
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects motor movement, …show more content…
Nevertheless, there is an extensive range of therapies that the patients can benefit from to alleviate the symptoms that they may experience (Noble, 2007). It is known that men have a higher chance to develop PD which can be present from their adolescent years to adulthood. Although it is rare for this to occur at a young age, the onset of PD rapidly increases in individuals over the age of 80 (Noble, 2007). Physicians often look for premature symptoms related to dopamine deficiency when diagnosing patients. Such as, tremor, muscle rigidity, and bradykinesia (slowness of movement). Recent studies show that non-motor symptoms also play a critical role that indicates early signs of PD. This includes but is not limited to: weakened sense of smell, sleep difficulty, constipation, restless leg syndrome, and depression. Depression is one of the main characteristics of PD that causes a negative impact on a patient’s quality of life and is also responsible for an individual’s increased morbidity …show more content…
It is reported that the patient will display aggressive behavior during sleep (Noble, 2007). As well as between 40-60% of patients with REM behavior disorder are likely to develop PD. It is noted that up to 40% of patients who have PD, also undergo a significant amount of anxiety (Noble, 2007). People with PD are often vulnerable to certain mental disorders and it is typical for them to experience it on a heightened level. Alterations to medication regimens can also result in increased anxiety in patients. For this reason, it is important to address the patient a simple explanation and written instructions on new treatment ideas. Cognitive impairment is one of the early indicators of PD. Bradyphrenia (delayed process of information), personality change, and poor memory are some of the traits that a person deals with on a daily basis. Furthermore, it makes it difficult for patients to process several instructions at one time and are unable to multitask. Many patients are undertreated due to fear of abiding to new drug administrations. Surprisingly, only about 10% of patients with PD are likely to take their medication as prescribed (Weernink et. al.,