April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, a time to come together to raise awareness and advance research toward a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Estimates suggest that Parkinson’s affects nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 6 million people worldwide.
What Is Parkinson’s Disease?
According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Parkinson’s disease (PD) occurs when brain cells that make dopamine, a chemical that coordinates movement, stop working or die. Because PD can cause tremor, slowness, stiffness, and walking and balance problems, it is called a “movement disorder.” But constipation, depression, memory problems and other non-movement symptoms also can be part of Parkinson’s. PD is a lifelong and progressive disease, which means that symptoms slowly worsen over time.
No Two People Have the Same PD
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, no two people have the same Parkinson’s disease (PD). With diverse symptoms and varied speeds of progression, PD does not affect every person the same way. However, people with Parkinson’s share many common symptoms and are at greater risk of developing some conditions (like Melanoma, Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA), and neurogenic Orthostatic hypotension (nOH). It is important to note that these conditions may be symptoms of Parkinson’s. Talk to your healthcare team to help understand your risks and learn prevention strategies to help you lead your best life with PD.
The experience of living with Parkinson’s over the course of a lifetime is unique to each person. As symptoms and progression vary from person to person, neither you nor your doctor can predict which symptoms you will get, when you will get them or how severe they will be. Even though broad paths of similarity are observed among individuals with PD as the disease progresses, there is no guarantee you will experience what you see in others.
What should everyone know about Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s Awareness Month is the perfect time to brush up on your Parkinson’s facts. Here are 5 fast facts about PD:
- Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Parkinson’s each year.
- Scientists believe a combination of environmental and genetic factors cause PD.
- People with Parkinson’s experience both movement and non-movement related symptoms.
- Symptoms can be managed through treatments like medications, lifestyle changes, exercise and in some cases, surgery.
- Early-onset Parkinson’s disease occurs in people younger than 50 years of age.
Could it be Parkinson’s? What are the early signs?
It can be hard to tell if you or a loved one has Parkinson’s. PD is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. Symptoms generally develop slowly over years and the progression of symptoms is often different from one person to another.
Here are 10 early signs of Parkinson’s:
- Tremors, often in the hands or fingers
- Small handwriting
- Loss of smell
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble moving or walking, including stiffness and balance problems
- Constipation
- A soft or low voice
- Facial Masking, meaning a reduction of facial expressions
- Dizziness or fainting
- Stooping or hunching over
No single one of these signs means that you should worry, but if you have more than one sign, consider making an appointment to talk to your doctor.
What top Parkinson’s resources can help me or my loved one?
The Parkinson’s Foundation has tons of resources for every stage of your Parkinson’s journey. Here are the top two that they recommend for everyone:
- Helpline: Call our Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for answers to your Parkinson’s questions. Staffed by nurses, social workers and health educators, the Helpline is here to support you.
- Newly Diagnosed Guide: Designed to help people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones get started on their PD journey, learn more about PD and prepare for a doctor’s appointment.
For an in-depth guide to navigating Parkinson’s disease and living well as the disease progresses, check out the MJFFPR Parkinson’s 360 toolkit.
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