What is Parkinson’s disease

  • Parkinson Disease
    Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder caused by malfunction and death of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Because of the death of nerve cells, people with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical Dopamine. This causes their movements to slow down. Symptoms get worse over time. An estimated 7 to 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s Disease. These numbers are projected to escalate sharply as more people live longer.   
Submitted by Content Loader on 28 October 2014

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder caused by malfunction and death of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Because of the death of nerve cells, people with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical Dopamine. This causes their movements to slow down. Symptoms get worse over time.

An estimated 7 to 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s Disease. These numbers are projected to escate sharply as more people live longer. 

 

Can Parkinson’s disease be fatal

Parkinson’s disease is not considered fatal. Patients cannot perform daily movement tasks unaided due to gradual worsening of symptoms, thus there is decrease in quality of life.

Diagrams by Dr Meenakshi Krishnan

 

Community
Neurological Conditions
Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorder PDMDS
Condition
Parkinson Disease
Changed
Mon, 11/27/2017 - 19:35

Stories

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    Veena Sheel Bhatnagar, 80, a former lecturer of Economics, has been a non-stop caregiver for over five decades to her family members, the last being her late husband Vijay Sheel Bhatnagar who had Parkinson’s Disease. Here she recounts her long journey caregiver and shares many learnings. I became a caregiver soon after my marriage in 1963 at age 22. Since then it has it has been a nonstop 50+ year journey of caregiving. Till recently, I was a looking after my husband who had Parkinson’s Disease…
  • A person with Parkinsons standing on top of the mountains with his arms outstretched
    Raising My Game Against Parkinson’s
    Pramesh Ratnakar, English professor, author, and third generation patient of Parkinson’s Disease, rues the absence of a cure, discusses Eliot and Homer in class to overcome Covid adversities and duels unrelentingly and imaginatively with the neurological condition. Plus a reflective poem by Ankur Bashar, his student and film maker who also made the film "The Invisible Enemy".   Who am I? My name is Pramesh Ratnakar. I am 64 years old. Many people call me a maverick for my iconoclastic…
  • The author Dr Prathima holding her book in her hand. She is wearing a bit jacket and is seated on a sofa
    Exercises and Boxing Have Helped Me Cope With Parkinsons
    Dr Prathima, 41 is a General Physician, and was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) in her late thirties. She shares her struggles and fears, as well as her strategies for coping with the challenges and pent up tensions. Please tell us a bit about your condition I am 41 years old and was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) approximately 4 years ago. Initially the symptoms were very subtle and being a doctor myself, I managed to get a  timely diagnosis.…
  • Moving To Online Platforms And Therapy For Parkinsons Has Been A Boon
    Shaila Bhagwat from Pune has been living with Parkinson’s for some years now. But the lockdowns and social distancing in recent times have made her opt for online therapy sessions as well as look forward to interactions on virtual platforms. She shares how she benefitted from both. When did the online therapy sessions start for you? I am a member of the B. K. Parikh Support Group which is part of the PDMDS (Parkinson Disease & Movement Disorder Society), Mumbai, and is also a part of PDMDS…
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  • Inspired by Hurdle Racers To Deal With Young Onset Parkinsons Disease
    Five years back when she was diagnosed with an early onset of Parkinson’s Disease, much to her disbelief, Sunandita, 45, had everything going for her. Since then, it has been an uphill task living with a condition that has cramped her lifestyle in more ways than one. Please tell us a little bit about yourself, your background. I am from a middle-class Indian Bengali family, born and brought up in the suburbs of Kolkata. My father was a Central government employee and mother, a schoolteacher-…
  • How To Handle Negative Emotions as a Caregiver
    Samiksha Sivan, integrates her experience at PDMDS to talk about some of the negative emotions felt by caregivers of persons with Parkinsons and the how they can cope with the negative emotions like anger, resentment, guilt and anxiety. Dealing with a chronic, progressive condition like Parkinson’s disease (PD) can take a significant toll on a person, be it a caregiver or a patient. Being able to cope with everyday tasks at home and work as well as the stresses of caregiving for a Person with…
  • Parkinsons and Talent
    Creative Ways of Expression for Persons with Parkinsons
    Tejali Kunte, Head of Psychology, PDMDS (Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Society), talks about their unique initiative ‘PDMDS Encourages Talent’ which provided a platform for Persons with Parkinson’s to showcase their talents and also boost their confidence in a big way. What was the main vision behind the initiative? Was it just motivational? -Creative arts like dance, music, poetry, art and craft have tremendous therapeutic effects on the symptoms of Parkinson’s. At PDMDS, we…
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