Parkinson’s disease(abbreviated as PD) or Parkinson’s is a brain disorder which affects a significant number of senior citizens. Tremors in the hand are the initial symptom that a person is suffering from the disease. The nervous system of the patient is affected due to the damage to the nerve cells in the brain. In most cases, if the patient is not treated properly, the condition of the patient will worsen over a period of time and he will not be able to do his daily activities. Often the family of the patient will have to hire a full-time caretaker to look after the patient. More information about Parkinsons’ disease is provided to help families who suspect that a family member is afflicted with the disease.
Symptoms
One of the most visible symptoms of PD is a tremor of the limb or hand. The movement of the patient will slow down and he often finds it difficult to balance while walking or standing, so additional support is required. The posture of the patient is affected and the muscles become rigid. The patient will move very slowly due to the ailment. Some patients find it difficult to sleep at night and suffer from loss of smell, dizziness or fainting. Additionally the handwriting of the patient changes, often it is usually far smaller in size. Over time, the speech of the patient will also get affected.
Diagnosis
Usually, for diagnosing PD correctly, the patient undergoes a physical examination followed by a brain scan. The patient usually has a noticeable tremor in his hand or leg even when resting if he is suffering from PD. Additionally, the posture of the patient is adversely affected, he is often stooping. During the brain scan, the activity in the different areas of the brain is compared to the activity levels in a normal patient. The electroencephalography (EEG) results will often show hypoactivity and hyperactivity in different areas of the cortex for the various frequency ranges like alpha, beta, theta, and delta frequencies.
Treatment
Individuals who are diagnosed with PD and their families would like to get information about Parkinson’s Disease treatment costs so that they can arrange for funds accordingly. Like treatment for other diseases, the cost of the treatment will vary depending on the technology used and its effectiveness. It also depends on how much the disease has progressed, it is usually cheaper and more effective to treat the patient in the early stages of the illness, it is far more difficult to reverse the damage if the disease was not detected initially. In the majority of the cases, the doctors will only recommend some medication to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, and there is no major improvement.
However, the latest technology has been used to halt the progress of the disease and reverse the damage which is caused, so that the patient can lead a normal life. For this, the EEG is used to identify the areas of the brain which are not functioning properly leading to behaviours which are not normal. The neurologist then formulates a program for neuroplasticity of the brain, which stimulates the nervous system and the brain so that it changes and becomes like the brain of a normal person. The program also includes doing some homework for improving brain functioning and consuming nutritional supplements.
