It was first described as trembling paralysis in 1817. It is called "Parkinson's disease" in medical pages. It is a slowly progressive movement disorder that progresses with loss of brain cells and is more common in men than women. The disease is seen in older ages and is most common between the ages of 40 and 70. In 5% of Parkinson's patients, the disease may occur between the ages of 20 and 40. Its incidence in the population aged 65 and over is around 1%.
What is Parkinson's disease?
It occurs with the decrease or loss of dopamine-producing cells in the human brain. The incidence of the disease in people with a history of Parkinson's disease in a mother, father or sibling is higher than in the general population. The disease begins at a younger age in members of families with a genetic history. This condition constitutes 5% of Parkinson's patients.
What are the risk factors in Parkinson's disease?
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Advanced age
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Family history of Parkinson's disease
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Rural life, farm and well water use
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Agricultural pesticides
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Male gender
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Head trauma
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Intake of high amounts of iron and manganese in the diet
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White race
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Animal fats taken with food
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Obesity
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Physical and emotional stress
What are the protective factors in Parkinson's disease?
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Smoking usage
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Coffee and caffeine consumption
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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use
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Use of antihypertensive medication
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Alcohol
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Excessive physical activity
Parkinson symptoms
Parkinson diseaseis a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease. Its onset is characterized by symptoms of movement system malfunction. It shows symptoms such as decreased facial expressions, monotonous and distorted speech, a slightly forward-leaning position of the body, slowness in movements, tremors, pain in the arms and limitation of movement. The insidious course of the disease initially It is often associated with the normal aging process, depression or joint diseases. 4 to 6 years before symptoms appear, Parkinson's patients are misdiagnosed due to depression, shoulder, neck and arm pain. The most common initial symptom of the disease is tremor in one hand and fingers during rest and the absence of arm swing that accompanies walking on the same side. Tremors may rarely begin in the feet, jaw and tongue. Slowing down movements without tremors may also be an initial symptom. The first symptoms include decreased arm swing movement that accompanies walking, decreased dexterity in the affected hand, smaller writing, poorer facial expressions, stiffness in one leg while walking, and shuffling while standing. The symptoms that first appear during the disease process usually spread to other extremities on the same side, and as the disease progresses, they also appear in other extremities. In cases that start in the upper extremities, the spread of the disease follows the order of hands, arms, feet, legs, face, speech and swallowing. In cases where symptoms begin in the lower extremities, there is an order of effect such as foot, leg, arm, hand, face, voice and swallowing disorder. The symptoms of Parkinson's disease according to its stages are as follows:
How is the diagnosis of Parkinson's made?
The diagnosis of Parkinson's disease is made by a neurologist through history and physical examination. There is no mandatory brain imaging or blood test to confirm Parkinson's disease. If deemed appropriate by the physician, radiological imaging is used for the differential diagnosis of the disease and to rule out other possible causes.
Parkinson's treatment
Parkinson, one of many diseases caused by cell loss in the brain, is one of these diseases. It is the type that responds best to treatment. However, since the disease progresses slowly, the patient must be constantly monitored by a physician. Since Parkinson's is a disease that reduces the quality of life over time, family members need to be aware and provide the necessary support to the patient and ensure that the treatment is applied correctly. It is extremely important for treatment to consult a neurologist as soon as the symptoms of the disease appear. Stages of the disease According to the doctor, many different treatment methods can be applied by the specialist physician. First of all, the aim is for the patient to be able to continue his own life without addiction. The decrease in dopaminergic nerve signals that develops with the loss of dopamine-producing cells is compensated with medication. With deep brain stimulation, also known as brain stimulation, which has been applied to some patients in recent years, the typical symptoms of the disease improve and the quality of life is improved. Deep brain stimulation, which roughly consists of stimulation electrodes placed in the relevant parts of the brain and a battery placed under the skin in the chest or abdomen, increases the chance of success when it is performed by an experienced team in selected cases with correct diagnosis. In addition, Parkinson's patients will benefit greatly from physical exercises in addition to drug treatments. Since exercises not only make the person feel better, but also have a positive effect on muscle stiffness and slowness of movement, it is recommended that the patient exercise in line with his needs and mobility abilities. Parkinson's patients, especially in the early stages, can exercise easily because their movements are not restricted yet. These movements increase people's mobility, encourage them to live a more active life, and make it easier to move. Exercise movements that increase dopamine transmission in the brain also help increase cognitive functions and mobility. The movements organized by the physiotherapist according to the stage of the disease and the condition of the person will not cause fatigue, on the contrary, they will provide vitality. These exercises consist of many movements such as walking, buttoning and unbuttoning, facial expressions, getting up and lying down, dressing, voice, breathing, chin and lip exercises to correct speech disorders.
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