How is Parkinson's disease cured?

Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

Updated on September 02, 2024

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The treatment of Parkinson's disease involves various aspects, and the principle of its treatment is not to aim for complete effectiveness but for prolonged and sustainable management. It is important not to be tempted by temporary symptom improvement and miss out on a sequential treatment that could last for many years. The treatment of Parkinson’s disease mainly includes the following aspects:

The first aspect is the care of daily life, which is very important. It is necessary to install some very convenient facilities at home for the patient, such as installing some handles, using some higher chairs, etc., all of which help to improve the quality of life for the patient.

The second aspect is pharmacotherapy. According to the patient's condition, appropriate anti-Parkinson's medication is selected, mainly including dopamine receptor agonists, COMT inhibitors, and some levodopa preparations. Adjusting medication is very complex and must be conducted under the guidance of a professional neurologist.

In addition, attention should also be paid to the treatment of non-motor symptoms, such as treating the patient's constipation, depression, etc.

Other Voices

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Written by Zhou Yan

Geriatrics

1min 14sec

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Methods of Diagnosing Parkinson's Disease

In the auxiliary examinations for Parkinson's disease, routine laboratory tests as well as CT and MRI scans of the head generally show no specific changes. However, in molecular imaging, PET CT can reveal a significant decrease in striatal dopamine transporter. For olfactory tests, over 80% of Parkinson's patients exhibit olfactory dysfunction. Doppler ultrasound can also detect a significant enhancement of the substantia nigra signal. Despite these advancements in auxiliary examinations, diagnosis in patients with Parkinson's disease still primarily relies on clinical evaluation. According to the 2015 criteria, the diagnostic standards are still based on clinical diagnosis, which includes two main points: first, bradykinesia, where voluntary movements are slow and the speed and amplitude of repetitive movements progressively decrease; second, at least one of the following two manifestations must be present: muscular rigidity or resting tremor.

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Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

1min 15sec

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What tests are done for Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the nervous system. Many patients report that numerous examinations did not identify a clear cause of the disease, which is typical of this condition due to the lack of very effective diagnostic methods. Patients' symptoms gradually worsen, manifesting as motor slowness, limb tremors, muscle rigidity, and other clinical signs. There are also symptoms such as constipation and dizziness. Generally, the following examinations are recommended for Parkinson's disease: First, complete a cranial MRI scan. The primary purpose of a cranial MRI is to exclude other causes of Parkinson's-like symptoms, such as cerebral thrombosis, brain tumors, or inflammation. Second, perform olfactory tests, as some patients may experience a significant reduction in their sense of smell early on. Third, conduct induced sleep monitoring, since some patients may have prominent sleep disorders. Additionally, it is suggested to perform striatal dopaminergic transporter imaging, a type of DAT scan. Although this scan is quite expensive, it can clearly reflect the function of the striatum.

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Written by Liu Shi Xiang

Neurology

1min 6sec

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Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease

The early symptoms of Parkinson's disease primarily include weakness of limbs on one side, resting tremors, and bradykinesia, among others. As the disease progresses, patients will display typical Parkinson's symptoms, including a shuffling gait, reduced facial expressions, decreased sense of smell, orthostatic hypotension, anxiety and depression, cognitive decline, constipation, frequent urination, etc. Therefore, when these symptoms appear, the possibility of Parkinson's disease should be considered. Patients need to promptly visit the neurology department of a hospital for complete testing such as routine blood tests, urinalysis, MRI of the skull, and if necessary, cerebrospinal fluid analysis through lumbar puncture to confirm the diagnosis. Once diagnosed, treatment with anti-Parkinson's medication should be started as soon as possible. Commonly used medications include Levodopa, dopamine receptor agonists, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, Vitamin B6, and more.

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Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

1min 3sec

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Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is a relatively common degenerative disease in the elderly, primarily causing the death of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain, leading to corresponding clinical manifestations. Research has confirmed that other systems may also be damaged in the early stages of Parkinson's disease symptoms. The early symptoms may primarily include: First, patients experience persistent constipation, which is a very important early symptom of Parkinson's disease. Second, some patients may experience sleep disturbances, mainly characterized by tossing and turning, shouting out loud during sleep, without being aware of it. Additionally, some patients in the early stages may also experience a reduced sense of smell, constipation, cognitive impairment, and other clinical manifestations. There are also some early motor symptoms, mainly that the patient becomes clumsy and inflexible in the movements of one side of the body. These are the early symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

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Written by Zhou Yan

Geriatrics

58sec

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What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease?

The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are divided into two major categories: motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms. The motor symptoms include bradykinesia and hypokinesia, specifically characterized by slow movement speed and reduced amplitude. In daily life, this results in clumsiness with actions such as difficulty standing up, small arm swings while walking, or even no swinging at all, a lack of facial expressions, and progressively smaller handwriting. The second type is resting tremor, which includes pill-rolling movements along with muscle rigidity and postural and gait imbalances, such as a panicked gait or taking very small steps that accelerate and become faster without the ability to stop or turn promptly. Non-motor symptoms include issues such as olfactory dysfunction, sleep disturbances, constipation, and depression.