Parkinsonism: Meaning, Diagnosis and Overview

What is Parkinsonism?

Parkinsonism is a neurological syndrome characterized by tremor, hypokinesia, rigidity, and postural instability It is also called as Parkinsons syndrome/ Atypical Parkinsons/ secondary Parkinsons disease/shaking Palsy.
Parkinsons disease (PD) is a movement disorder characterized by tremor at rest, rigidity bradykinesia (slowness of movement, slowed motion).

Recovery Time

The symptoms of the disease are not completely curable but can be  reduced up to some extent with proper medications and exercises.

Diagnosis

It is usually diagnosed by following techniques:
  • Physical examination of patients medication history.
  • MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or CT scan.
  • PET (positron emission tomography) scan.
  • Blood test.

FAQs prepared by doctor

Q1. What is Parkinsonism?
Parkinsonism is a neurological syndrome characterized by tremor, hypokinesia, rigidity, and postural instability It is also called as Parkinsons syndrome/ Atypical Parkinsons/ secondary Parkinsons disease/shaking Palsy. Parkinsons disease (PD) is a movement disorder characterized by tremor at rest, rigidity bradykinesia (slowness of movement, slowed motion).

Q2. When shall one consult a doctor?
Consult a doctor if you experience symptoms like
Numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of movement in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body
Sudden confusion or trouble understanding simple statements
Sudden problems with walking or balance

Q3. Is Parkinsons disease fatal?
No. People do not die from Parkinsons. Complications, for example pneumonia caused by aspiration in connection with difficulty swallowing, can lead to death. Parkinsons by itself does not directly cause people to die. With the treatment that is now available, life expectancy for someone with Parkinsons is fairly normal and none of the medication that are used have any serious side effects that could cause death.
However, occasionally in people who are seriously disabled (usually those who have had Parkinsons for many years), their general physical and mental condition can either cause or exacerbate other illnesses and so contribute to the final cause of death.

Q4. Can surgery be effective in Parkinsons?
Surgery can ease the symptoms like tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia (slow movement) associated with Parkinsons, as well as primary dystonia and other conditions of Parkinsons, but it is not a cure. Because of the risks associated with brain surgery, it is usually not considered unless all appropriate medications have been tried but prove to be unsuccessful. When considering surgery, it is important to see both a neurologist and a brain surgeon who specialize in the treatment of Parkinsons.




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