Can Parkinson's patients drink alcohol?

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on September 12, 2024
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It is recommended that patients with Parkinson's disease avoid drinking alcohol. This is because the condition in Parkinson's patients is caused by the death of certain neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. It is well-known that alcohol has a direct damaging effect on neurons. Therefore, drinking alcohol could potentially worsen the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and it is advised not to drink alcohol. Additionally, patients with Parkinson's disease are prone to panic and unstable gait. If alcohol consumption affects the function of the cerebellum, it will exacerbate the patient's instability in walking, making them very prone to falls and potentially causing complications such as fractures. Furthermore, drinking alcohol can lead to orthostatic hypotension, which is a lower blood pressure when standing up. Parkinson's disease itself can also cause this type of orthostatic hypotension, and the combination of the two can cause a significant drop in blood pressure in patients, posing a risk when standing.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Causes of Parkinson's Disease

The cause of Parkinson's disease is mainly due to a part of the brain called the brainstem, which has some black moles and clusters containing a large number of neurons that can produce dopamine. The death of these neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain, caused by various factors, leads to Parkinson's disease. This results in noticeable slowness of movement in the limbs, muscle rigidity, as well as tremors, and unstable walking and other clinical manifestations. The causes of the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra include genetic factors. Additionally, age is the biggest cause of the disease. Furthermore, dysfunctions in mitochondrial function, ischemia and hypoxia in the midbrain, certain traumas, and the use of drugs that deplete dopamine can all potentially cause Parkinson's disease.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Is Parkinson's disease progressing quickly?

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the nervous system that has a very concealed onset and progresses very slowly, making the progression of this disease not rapid. Patients can generally take care of themselves for about three to five years, or even five to ten years, without having to worry too much about this disease. This disease primarily causes patients to experience obvious bradykinesia, mask-like faces, drooling, resting tremors, and increased muscle tone among other clinical manifestations, which can significantly distress patients. However, the progression of this disease is relatively slow, and the signs and symptoms on the left and right sides of the body are also asymmetric. After effective pharmacological treatments, such as commonly used levodopa and dopamine receptor agonists, patients' symptoms can usually be well controlled and the progression is slow. If the disease progresses very quickly, it could potentially be Parkinsonian syndrome.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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What department should Parkinson's disease go to?

Parkinson's disease is classified as a neurological disorder, so once considered for Parkinson's disease, registration is naturally in the department of neurology. Many neurologists are very familiar with Parkinson's disease and also have rich experience in diagnosis and treatment. Especially some neurology experts who specialize in Parkinson's disease have their own unique views on the pathogenesis, etiology, and clinical manifestations of the disease. Parkinson's disease is a chronic, degenerative neurological condition primarily divided into motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms, severely impacting the quality of life and work of patients. Symptoms include bradykinesia, resting tremor, muscle rigidity, etc. Treatment involves anticholinergic drugs and dopamine receptor agonists. (Note: This answer is for reference only. Medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional physician, and self-medication should be avoided.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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What department to see for Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease is a very common degenerative neurological disorder in neurology, so if you go for treatment, you should definitely see a neurologist. Many neurologists have a high level of expertise in Parkinson's disease and have extensive experience in its diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Patients with Parkinson's disease generally exhibit significant motor slowness, such as dressing, buttoning, wrapping dumplings, and eating very slowly, and they also walk very slowly. In addition, they may also display obvious resting tremors, muscle rigidity, general fatigue, unstable walking posture, and other clinical manifestations. Moreover, they might experience some constipation, anxiety, depression, and reduced sense of smell among other related clinical symptoms. Therefore, for this disease, visiting a neurologist is sufficient, and you can definitely expect a very satisfactory diagnosis and treatment.

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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.