Subscribe
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is divided into several types.
Parkinson's disease is only one type, while Parkinson's syndrome is divided into four main categories: Parkinson's disease, secondary Parkinson's syndrome, atypical Parkinson's syndrome, and genetic variant Parkinson's syndrome. The causes of Parkinson's disease are related to several factors, including brain aging, genetics, and environmental factors. The causes of secondary Parkinson's syndrome are more specific and may include cerebrovascular disease, encephalitis, heavy metal poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning, etc. Atypical Parkinson's syndrome generally has symptoms in addition to those typical of Parkinson's disease, including other neurological impairments.
Does Parkinson's disease cause dizziness?
For patients with Parkinson's disease, the clinical symptoms are mainly divided into two categories: motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms. Among the non-motor symptoms, dysfunctions in autonomic nervous regulation can manifest as orthostatic hypotension, which generally occurs in the middle to late stages of Parkinson's disease. The main manifestation is a continuous drop in systolic blood pressure by more than 30mmHg, or diastolic blood pressure by more than 15mmHg within three minutes of the patient moving from a lying or sitting position to a standing position. This can lead to general fatigue, dizziness or light-headedness, slow thinking, and even fainting. Therefore, when patients with Parkinson’s disease experience dizziness, it is important to consider the possibility of orthostatic hypotension.
Can people with Parkinson's disease drink alcohol?
It is advised that patients with Parkinson's disease should not drink alcohol, as alcohol can damage neurons. The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is due to the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, and long-term alcohol consumption can significantly damage neurons. Additionally, patients with Parkinson's disease often take anti-Parkinson's medications long-term. These medications can cause orthostatic hypotension, leading to dizziness in patients. Alcohol itself can also cause orthostatic hypotension, which may exacerbate the adverse effects of the medication and bring negative consequences to the patient. Therefore, drinking alcohol is not recommended. Moreover, drinking alcohol can also increase the risk of falls for patients with Parkinson's disease.
Does Parkinson's disease cause nausea and dizziness?
Nausea and dizziness are less common symptoms of Parkinson's disease, which primarily manifests through tremors in the limbs and head, along with paralysis symptoms such as unstable walking, lack of mobility in walking, unstable gait, and abnormal walking posture. Other non-motor symptoms may include poor sleep, depression, anxiety, and weakness. If nausea and dizziness are present, Parkinson’s disease is generally more common in elderly people and may be due to insufficient cerebral blood supply or complications such as cerebral infarction, cervical spondylosis, and high blood pressure. These causes should be ruled out before considering Parkinson's disease. While Parkinson's disease itself seldom leads to nausea and dizziness, these symptoms can also be side effects of the medications used to treat Parkinson's disease.
Is Parkinson's disease hereditary?
A small portion of Parkinson's disease has a genetic predisposition. According to research statistics, about 5% to 10% of Parkinson’s disease cases are familial, caused by certain gene mutations leading to neurodegeneration. This part of the disease does have a genetic predisposition. However, it does not mean that if the parents have the disease, the child will definitely inherit it; environmental factors are also related. Most cases of Parkinson’s disease do not have a genetic predisposition and are sporadic, possibly related to cerebral ischemia, hypoxia, stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and long-term exposure to certain toxins. These aspects are definitely not hereditary. Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that can cause symptoms such as bradykinesia, increased muscle tone, and unstable posture. It is important to seek medical treatment promptly.
Can Parkinson's disease be cured?
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder, and there are many medications and treatments that can improve the quality of life for patients and alleviate their clinical symptoms. However, from the current medical perspective, it is impossible to achieve a complete cure. Therefore, patients with Parkinson's disease must not be deceived and should seek treatment at accredited hospitals. Currently, treatment for this disease primarily involves pharmacotherapy. There are various medications available, commonly including dopamine receptor agonists, Levodopa-based drugs, as well as some amantadine and anticholinergic drugs. Each drug has its own characteristics and should be chosen based on the patient's condition. Additionally, some patients in the middle or later stages may also undergo deep brain stimulation surgery to improve symptoms. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician and do not medicate blindly.)
Can people with Parkinson's disease eat honey?
Parkinson's disease, also known as paralysis agitans, is a common neurodegenerative disease of the nervous system. Clinically, it is primarily characterized by symptoms such as bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and resting tremors, as well as non-motor symptoms such as loss of smell. Patients with paralysis agitans also experience autonomic dysfunction, commonly manifesting as constipation due to slowed intestinal peristalsis. These symptoms can appear 10 to 20 years before the motor symptoms and may include lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and increased salivation. For patients with paralysis agitans, consuming honey is beneficial as it can help alleviate constipation by softening the stool and facilitating bowel movements, due to the reduced intestinal motility.
Is massage effective for Parkinson's disease?
The treatment of Parkinson's disease is comprehensive, with medication being the core method. Surgical treatments can supplement medication, and it is also important to include physical rehabilitation and psychological therapy. When patients have their symptoms and signs controlled by medication, massage can be administered to enhance their motor abilities and coordination, improving symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease. Massage therapy, therefore, has proven to be somewhat effective in this respect.
How is Parkinson's disease diagnosed?
For the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, the patient's medical history and symptoms are very important, and physical examinations are also an important reference for diagnosis. The physical examination generally involves checking the patient's muscle tone and looking for signs of bradykinesia. In terms of auxiliary examinations, on one hand, it is necessary to perform ceruloplasmin tests, which primarily aim to exclude hepatolenticular degeneration. Brain MRI scans are also conducted to exclude other causes of secondary Parkinson’s disease, such as normal pressure hydrocephalus and cerebrovascular diseases. Additionally, these patients need to undergo olfactory tests and some PET-CT scans to clarify the diagnosis.
Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease
The clinical manifestations of Parkinson's disease are divided into two major categories. One category includes motor symptoms related to damage to the dopaminergic system. The other category includes non-motor symptoms related to damage to non-dopaminergic systems. The non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease can appear at various stages, especially before the onset of motor symptoms, such as loss of smell, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, constipation, and depression, which are often early symptoms of the disease. However, because the onset of the disease in patients is relatively hidden, the initial symptoms are often tremors, but can also be bradykinesia or stiffness, with the majority of these cases being diagnosed based on these symptoms. Therefore, when a patient has loss of smell, constipation, depression, or sleep behavior disorder, the possibility of Parkinson's tremor paralysis should be considered.