Health > 5 Myths About Parkinson’s Disease you Need to Know
26th Jul 2022
Busting Popular Parkinson's Myths So you have the right info
Health

5 Myths About Parkinson’s Disease you Need to Know

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and nervous system. It causes several symptoms, including movement challenges, imbalance, muscle rigidity, etc. But despite being debilitating, it’s still unclear what causes Parkinson’s. Please read on to find 5 important myths and two facts about Parkinson’s disease that one should know

 

Is Parkinson’s fatal? 

It is a misunderstanding. Parkinson’s disease is not fatal in the same manner that a heart attack or a stroke is. Parkinson’s disease patients can live long and fulfilling lives. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease have a shorter life expectancy than people not having the illness. This decrease is more prominent in people developing dementia at a younger age, but less marked in those not developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Even though Parkinson’s disease is not life-threatening, it does raise the risk of falling. Severe falls can be fatal or necessitate surgical procedures, increasing the risk of health problems or infectious diseases. Another significant risk is pneumonia. Because people with Parkinson’s disease may have trouble swallowing, they may breathe food particles into their lungs. People with Parkinson’s disease also have weakened cough reaction times, so the food may remain in the lungs and lead to infection. Because of the incapability to cough out the diseased material, these infections can be fatal.

 

None of it, other than drugs, can control the progression

There is a widespread misconception that drugs are now the only way to alleviate signs or slow disease development. This is a legend. Staying fit and healthy has been shown to reduce the symptoms and possibly sometimes slow the progression of the disease. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, people with Parkinson’s who begin exercising earlier and for a minimal level of 2.5 hours per week have a slower decline in quality of life than those who start later. Early exercise habits are critical for overall disease control.

According to research, exercise does more than alleviate Parkinson’s motor symptoms. Workout, for example, has been shown in studies to help people with the disease improve their associated sleep issues and brain ability.

 

Tremor is present in all Parkinson’s patients

Tremor is one of Parkinson’s most visible symptoms. Non-motor symptoms may appear before actual tremors in some people.

Furthermore, some people do not encounter tremors during the disease’s progression. Dr Beck clarified to MNT that approximately 20% of people with Parkinson’s disease do not grow a tremor. Even though scientists do not understand why that’s the case, Dr Beck thinks that tremor intensity may vary depending on which brain regions the disease affects. A 2021 research showed that motor tremors occur in 47–90% of cases.

 

Levodopa aggravates signs

Another widespread misunderstanding about levodopa is that it can exacerbate Parkinson’s clinical signs. It is not correct. Levodopa can end up causing other movement disorders, such as dyskinesia or involuntary jerking motions. Dyskinesia’s initiation is linked to the progression of the underlying illness. As a result, doctors no longer advise waiting until later in the disease to start taking levodopa.

The American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA) states that dyskinesia may not even be troubling in its lesser form. The movement provided by levodopa may benefit the immobility affiliated without trying it. People with disorders must look at the advantages of taking levodopa against dyskinesia.

 

Physicians can always give you an accurate prognosis

Even though doctors understand the variety of Parkinson’s illnesses, how an individual’s illness will advance is highly unpredictable. Parkinson’s disease affects people differently. According to the authors of one study, there are significant differences in clinical symptoms and advancement between patients. The considerable variability in how people are experiencing Parkinson’s disease and its progress is unidentified. Dr Beck informed MNT. It can be predicated on how the other person’s Parkinson’s disease started. Researchers are constantly researching methods of making reasonable estimates. Specialists hope to be able to offer a good hypothesis of how an individual’s situation will advance in the future.

 

Parkinson’s disease only impacts mobility

Correct, Parkinson’s disease is classified as a motor disease by the medical world. Non-motor diagnoses that can occur before clinical manifestations are common in people with the disease. Brain damage or Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety and depression, sleep disorder, pain, passivity, sexual problems, and bowel bladder problems are non-motor signs.

 

Tremors indicate Parkinson’s disease

The most well-known side effect of Parkinson’s disease is tremors. It can happen due to other circumstances, such as drug-induced parkinsonism, vascular parkinsonism, dystonic or crucial tremor, psychotic disease, and dopa-responsive dystonia.

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Conclusion

Ultimately, the introduction of new possible treatments, combined with increased raising attention, has assisted in disproving many of the Parkinson’s myths. An improved comprehension of the condition can only result in a more educated society and a larger sense of optimism for those suffering from this debilitating illness.

 

FAQ

What are the four hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease?

From a motor point of view, Parkinson’s disease is distinguished by a clinical manifestation known as Parkinsonism, which contains four primary characteristics:

  • Bradykinesia
  • Rest tremor
  • Rigidity, and
  • Postural and gait impairment.

 

Does sugar influence Parkinson’s disease?

Consuming too many sugary foods and beverages can harm your immune response. Choose innately sweetened foods to handle Parkinson’s disease symptoms and limit your sugar consumption. Consume moderate amounts of protein. Consuming a lot of fish, beef, or cheese may reduce the efficacy of some Parkinson’s prescription drugs.

 

What types of pain are affiliated with Parkinson’s disease?

Scorching pain from musculature or skeleton, intense pain from a nervous or nerve root, numbness or ‘pins and needles’ pain also emanating from a nerve or nerve root, throbbing or aching pain caused by tightening or ongoing contorting and writhing movement patterns are all symptoms of Parkinson’s disease