Living with Parkinson’s can be challenging for individuals and their loved ones, and it’s important to understand what the condition is and how symptoms manifest to be better prepared when facing these challenges.

Parkinson’s disease gradually progresses over time and, in many cases, it can take years before symptoms begin to appear. Because it develops at a slower pace, many people can expect to have many years ahead for productive living after being diagnosed.

With this in mind, let’s take a deeper look at Parkinson’s: what it is and how can quality of life be improved whilst living with this condition.

What is Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s disease is defined as a progressive nervous system disorder that impacts the movement of individuals. Symptoms often develop at a gradual pace, sometimes beginning with a small, barely noticeable tremor in one hand. While it is most common to experience tremors, Parkinson’s can also lead to stiffness or slowness when moving.

This condition is caused by a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain known as the substantia nigra. Nerve cells in the substantia nigra work to produce dopamine, which acts as a messenger between parts of the brain and nervous system that help to control and coordinate movement.

If these nerve cells die or become damaged, the levels of dopamine in the brain lowers. This means that the part of the brain that controls movement is hindered - causing natural movements to become slower and more laboured. However, this loss of nerve cells is a slow process and symptoms only begin to develop when 80% of the nerve cells around the substantia nigra have already been lost.

In the early stages of Parkinson’s, the patient’s face may show little or no expression, their arms may not swing as freely whilst walking, and speech may become softer or more slurred. These symptoms can worsen as more nerve cells die over time.

Although there’s no cure for Parkinson’s, there are medications that can substantially improve symptoms. Surgery is even possible to help regulate specific regions within the brain, which can improve the quality of life further.

There are many more things that can be done to help patients live a normal life; for example, wearing a MedicAlert ID bracelet, which are designed to provide peace of mind to individuals and the loved ones of those living with Parkinson’s, ensuring that they’re well protected at all times.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease typically develop at a gradual pace and are often very mild at first.

There are many different symptoms of Parkinson’s and individuals can often have quite varied experiences with the disorder. The order in which symptoms can come through may also be wildly different and it’s unlikely that a sufferer will experience each and every symptom simultaneously - so it’s vital for individuals and their loved ones to keep on the lookout for signs that can manifest in different ways.

The three main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease directly affect movement:

• Tremor: Shaking, which tends to begin either in the hand or arm before gradually becoming more noticeable. It’s most likely that tremors will happen when the limb is relaxed or resting.
• Slow movement: Known as bradykinesia, physical movements are much slower than normal, and are prone to making everyday tasks more difficult. This symptom can manifest itself in slow walking paces with small steps resembling shuffling.
• Muscle rigidity: Stiffness in muscles is another symptom that can make it trickier for individuals to move around and make certain facial expressions. This symptom can also lead to painful cramping of the muscles.

Image: PCSUK

As we can see from the diagram above, there are many more possible symptoms that can be experienced by individuals. Those suffering from Parkinson’s may be prone to increased levels of perspiration, muscle weakness, sleeplessness, intestinal complaints, difficulty breathing and trouble swallowing food.

Parkinson’s can also affect the mind, causing a decline in cognitive capability, dizziness and increased instances of depression and anxiety.

Other possible symptoms can include a loss of smell and, interestingly, smaller handwriting, and although there may be many other harmless factors that can lead to such symptoms, they’re certainly worth paying attention to - just in case it’s a subtle hint that something’s not quite right.

Diagnosis

No tests can conclusively show that an individual is suffering from Parkinson’s. This means that a diagnosis can only be made through the observation of symptoms, analysis of medical history and a comprehensive physical examination.

Doctors will talk to patients about the problems they’re experiencing and they may carry out some simple mental or physical tasks like asking individuals to walk around the room in order to improve the accuracy of their diagnosis.

Because of how slow the condition progresses, GPs may find it harder to deliver a diagnosis with certainty due to how mild early symptoms can be.

However, if a doctor believes that their patient may have Parkinson’s, they will then refer the individual to a specialist.

These specialists will typically be neurologists who specialise in conditions that affect the brain and nervous system, and geriatricians who specialise in problems that affect elderly people. The specialists would likely carry out more physical tests in order to help them to work out whether the patient has any issues with their movement.

It’s more likely that a doctor will diagnose Parkinson’s disease in an individual if they’re displaying two of the three main symptoms of shaking or tremors at rest, slowness of movement or muscle stiffness. If these symptoms improve after taking a medication called levodopa, it’s more likely that the patient has Parkinson’s.

Additionally, special brain scans, like a SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scan, can also be used in certain cases in order to rule out any other potential causes of symptoms.

Helping a loved one with Parkinson’s

Receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson’s can be an extremely distressing experience for your loved one and it’s vital that you’re able to offer both physical and emotional support for them as they adapt to life with the disorder.

There are many ways in which you can adapt to help your loved ones. Learning as much as possible about Parkinson’s can really help in understanding what the person you’re caring for is going through. By reading into how the disorder affects different parts of the body, it’s possible to be much better at reacting faster when your loved one needs help.

One of the best ways to care for a loved one with Parkinson’s is to ensure that they live an active life in spite of their condition. Exercise helps the brain to use dopamine more efficiently, which can play a key role in mitigating the onset of the disorder.

It’s also essential that you ensure that your loved one isn’t made to feel as though they’ve lost touch with their normal lives. Try not to consciously treat them differently in how you interact with them and how you talk to them.

Helping your loved one become a MedicAlert member means they can carry on with their favourite activities, safe in the knowledge that their medical information is secure yet available when it’s needed most. It will also provide you with the reassurance that your contact details will be accessible in an emergency, when most needed.

How to deal with it your own diagnosis

Living with Parkinson’s can be a challenge, but due to how gradual the disorder is, there’s nothing stopping you from living a healthy, active life for many years following a diagnosis.

By exercising regularly, you can work to maintain, and even improve, your levels of mobility, balance and coordination. By creating a regular exercise routine, you can improve your mental wellbeing whilst living a fulfilling life.

Although there are no specific diets that are universally identified as the best way of mitigating the effects of Parkinson’s, it’s certainly worth looking at ways to include more fruits and vegetables - and, therefore, essential nutrients - into your daily diet. This can significantly help if you find yourself living with intestinal issues as a result of the disorder.

Your biggest challenge will come in working out how to manage your symptoms. This can be more of a psychological battle than a physical one, as you may slowly begin to notice that it’s becoming more difficult to move naturally, or that your tremor is becoming more noticeable. This can be a largely trial-and-error based process where you’ll work out what your body responds best to over time. Accepting your symptoms and learning to live with them is one of the most important aspects of life with Parkinson’s.

How MedicAlert can help

MedicAlert helps its members to live active lives whilst managing medical conditions like severe allergies, heart issues, lung problems, epilepsy, diabetes, dementia and Alzheimer’s, rare conditions, cancer or renal issues and, of course, Parkinson’s disease.

All MedicAlert members wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace, engraved with their most vital medical information. In the case of individuals suffering from Parkinson’s, this information can be particularly vital due to the fact that symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for a stroke.

Our medical ID service means that your full medical record is available 24/7, including your emergency contacts, medications and key documents to ensure that the treatments that are provided are decisive, swift and accurate, even if you cannot speak for yourself at the time.

With MedicAlert, you’re guaranteed a quick, accurate and resourceful medical alert service that will strive to look after your needs with no valuable time lost in the process.

Find out how MedicAlert's life-saving service can benefit you or a loved one living with Parkinson's Disease