About Parkinsons

Robert Rodgers asked:


Most people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s believe that their bodies do not produce enough dopamine. The implication of this belief of course is that their bodies are not working correctly.

I believe dopamine deficiency is not the real problem. Surprised? There clearly is a hormonal imbalance. But who is the real culprit here - dopamine or adrenaline?

In my opinion, the true cause of the hormonal imbalance in Parkinson’s lies with an overabundance of stress hormones: adrenaline, cortisol, aldosterone and testosterone. These are the hormones that are naturally secreted by the body when it is in a survival mode. What really happens to the body when it is flushed with stress hormones?

The immune system is jeopardized. The gastrointestinal track shuts down. Memory becomes problematic. Thinking becomes fuzzy. All senses are dulled - touch, feel and smell.

Overall energy is depleted. Blood pressure and respiration increase. Water and nutrients are sent to the lungs and heart.

The rest of the body is ignored. After all, the body is in a survival mode. Why bother nourishing the neurons? The connection between the effects of stress on the body and the symptoms of Parkinson’s is stark.

When the body is preoccupied with making the stress hormones, cells throughout the system become seriously dehydrated. When cells become dehydrated, how can they get rid of the toxins and waste products?

The answer is obvious. They don’t.

Recovery for persons with the symptoms of Parkinson’s involves helping the body remember the place of balance and helping the individual move out of a suspended state of stress. Most people are so stressed they do not even know they are stressed!

When the body is on continuous alert year after year there is less and less demand on the body to produce dopamine. The natural ability of the body to manufacture dopamine simply withers away. The body is doing precisely what it was designed to do.

It is not broken. It is working perfectly. There is no inherent demand to produce dopamine, so less and less dopamine is manufactured. The body is too preoccupied with producing the hormones that are needed when it is under stress.

Why again does the body stop producing dopamine? When we stop using any skill, proficiency declines little by little, day by day. Consider a physical example. If you stop working out and exercising, it does not take long for the muscles in the body to turn to flab.

“Use it or lose it” is the name of the game. When you do not use it you lose it!

If you do not use the body’s learned ability to manufacture dopamine, it will gradually lose the ability to produce dopamine in the quantities that are needed. The cells needed to produce the hormone die and are not replaced. The body says to itself:

“Why bother? There is no need for dopamine.”

Although increasingly a young person’s disease, the symptoms of Parkinson’s do not emerge in many people until the later years. This is because there needs to be a depletion of 80% in the body’s capacity to make dopamine before the symptoms of dopamine depletion actually surface.

It takes a long time for the body to give up its ability to produce any hormone it thinks it may need in the future. But it will give up, eventually. It obviously will take time to convince the body otherwise.

Many people have problems figuring out the best timing and dose of their Parkinsons medications which replace dopamine in one form or another. I am not a medical doctor, so I am not qualified or trained to be able to help you with this problem. Clearly, the best thing you can do is to consult with your doctor when problems emerge.

I do want to comment on the energy behind trying to figure out the right timing and dose of medications. The energy behind the challenge of figuring out the best timing is intentional (which is good), forceful (which can be good) and controlling (which is bad).

So you ask, what is so wrong with the energy behind control? After all, control is what makes things happen in the world, right?

Most people we work with who have Parkinsons have been very successful in their careers and work lives because they know how to use the energy of control effectively and efficiently. So again you are probably wondering why is control in this case bad?

Controlling behavior can be bad for people with the symptoms of Parkinsons because controlling behavior pumps out adrenaline which sustains hormonal imbalances in the body. If you are trying to control the timing of your medications every day, consulting with your doctor as needed, making decisions literally every hour there is an energy of control that is continuously present. The hormonal imbalance in the body is continuously present.

What do you do about the energy behind control? Make it conscious, so that you come to a place where evaluating your dose and timing become effortless(as opposed to forced)as you listen to the needs of your own body.

In summary, there is a curious tension between the energy of control(which involves doing something every day to your body)versus being able to relax and let go. When you try to force relaxation, it just doesn’t work. The body just becomes more alert and even more adrenaline is pumped out.

Jacob

ratmand asked:


I tend to jerk when I fall asleep sometimes and I find I can’t stay completely still when I am sitting down, it’s almost torturous to stay sitting when I have a two and a half hour class that I even love! My face also twitches at times and either a part of my leg or arm. I find if I lay on my side I don’t shake or twitch at all.

I also have to add in that I have an anxiety disorder, but I’m not sure it could cause all that.
Actually correction, I find it difficult to stay in one place. I can stay still but sometimes I jerk or tap my leg up and down from time to time.

Carrie

Jeremy Parker asked:


When members of the general public see a person with Parkinson’s disease, especially those with pronounced symptoms they come to a whole host of conclusions about that person without any knowledge of them or their lifestyle. Because of this there are many mistaken beliefs about the disease which really need to be rectified is Parkinson’s sufferers are going to lead a normal life.

For example many people believe that Parkinson’s disease affects the whole brain so that mental functioning is compromised. Some of the symptoms of late Parkinson’s disease include speech problems, spasmodic body and face movements, drooling and possibly problems with memory but this does not mean that Parkinson’s sufferers have lost their mind or are imbeciles. The mind of a Parkinson’s sufferer continues to work perfectly well and they are capable of understanding everything you say to them. Their only problem is that they experience difficulties communicating back and so if an alternative method of communication is devised you can still hold an intelligent conversation with any Parkinson’s disease sufferer.

Similarly if a person says ‘my partner has Parkinson’s disease’ people will assume that

a) the persons partner is old and

b) the persons partner is totally reliant on somebody else

Both of these assumptions are very naïve and ultimately wrong. Although Parkinson’s disease does affect people over the age of 50 more than those under the age of 50, it is not exclusively an ‘old person’ disease. Early-onset Parkinson’s is relatively rare (around 10% of all diagnosed cases) but it does exist and it can affect people of any age. Also, just because a person has been diagnosed as having Parkinson’s disease this doesn’t mean that they suddenly lose their independence. People can live for many years with Parkinson’s disease without having to rely on anyone but themselves. It is only in the late stage of the disease when some of the symptoms have become severe that Parkinson’s sufferers need help with certain aspects of their life such as walking and bathing.

So let us say that you go to a social event and you meet the person with Parkinson’s disease. You and everybody else may not even realise that they have the condition because contrary to popular belief not all sufferers have visible tremors or mobility problems, especially in the early stages of the disease. Every Parkinson’s sufferer will have different symptoms that are present to different extents and although tremors are the most common symptom of the disease at least 20% of sufferers never have a tremor in their life. They may drop things and fall over a lot but these aren’t really events you would associate with Parkinson’s disease even though they are symptoms of the condition. Thus assuming that everybody with Parkinson’s disease shakes a lot is another common misconception.

There are literally hundreds of beliefs regarding Parkinson’s disease that are very wrong and simply by doing a bit of research many of these ideas could be dismissed for good however people in general don’t want to spend time sorting fact from fiction and so the misguided ideas continue to form in the heads of the uneducated.

Beverly

Clive Jenkins asked:


Ask the question, Who get’s Parkinson’s Disease? and the majority of answers will all say that it is elderly people who get it. This in fact is not entirely true. Although Parkinson’s Disease does affect a higher proportion of elder adults, about 90% as we know it, there are also a small percentage of younger persons who also develop the disease.
You will no doubt have heard about the great Mohammed Ali who developed the disease shortly after his boxing career, and what about the actor Michael J Fox, famous for his Back To The Future films. These are just two examples of how the disease is not constrained to elder persons. Statistics suggest that Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis as a whole will probably double in the next 40-50 years.
So just who is at risk from the disease?
Research shows that it is actually men who are more at risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease. It is believed that women are somehow protected by estrogens which appear to shield the body from the chemical differences that take place in Parkinson’s Disease development.
Symptoms To Look Out For.
Common Parkinson’s Disease (PD) symptoms are hand tremors, slurred speech, slowness and movement difficulties. A sufferer may also find that they develop a style of smaller handwriting. This is quite common. From a case study, it was shown that the men were more affected by rigidity and hand tremors and the women were more prone to shuffling.
Is Parkinson’s Disease Hereditary?
It is thought that if within a person’s family, there has been Parkinsons Diagnosis for people under the age of 40, then it is more probable for that person to develop PD than other persons within the same age group. For elder persons over the age of 65, it is thought that having a family history of the disease plays no part in the chances of developing it.
The important thing to remember here, is that there is always help and support available in the event of a person being diagnosed with the disease.
Parkinson’s Medicine has developed tremendously now and Doctors have a greater understanding of the condition. With the correct medication and care, many PD sufferers live their lives with minimum disturbance and are likely to have a close to normal lifespan. This is not to say that the disease goes unnoticed, but with the correct medicine and understanding, the diseases side effects can be significantly lessened.

Hector

Jeremy Parker asked:


Whether it is you or a loved one that is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease some changes in lifestyle are inevitable, especially when mobility and other symptoms become severely affected. Below are a few ways in which you can help a Parkinson’s sufferer to remain fit, healthy and enjoying life.

A change in diet to provide a healthy balanced food intake will ensure that both you and your loved one remain at a healthy weight and fitness level. Energy is one of the biggest requirements for someone suffering with Parkinson’s disease because the muscles naturally struggle to cope with the extra strain put on them. A lack of energy would result in many muscle movements becoming even further impaired which in turn could lead to a negative attitude and despondency. Vitamins, minerals and beneficial oils can also help but check with the physician first before starting any new diets as some ingredients can react badly with medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease.

Exercise is also essential to the Parkinson’s sufferer because of the need to maintain good muscle tone, strength and posture. Again check with your physician before beginning a new exercise plan but simple activities such as walking, jogging, cycling and swimming can be performed often and as a couple which will help to defeat boredom. A qualified sports trainer can often help devise a plan that is enjoyable for you both and that will target the areas that really need help i.e. the limbs and back muscles. As the disease progresses a sports trainer will also be able to suggest low impact exercise routines that will still be of benefit but are not a strain on the body.

Making adjustments to your living area will become necessary as time goes on and there are a number of things you can do to make life easier for a person with Parkinson’s disease. For example, grab bars can be fitted around the house and in the bathroom, a sit-down shower can be fitted instead of the regular bath, you can lengthen the legs of chairs so that it is easier to go from sitting to standing and vice versa, you can change door and cupboard handles to make them easier to grasp and change the cutlery to a design which is more comfortable to hold. In fact there are hundreds of little adjustments you can make to your home to make life easier and the longer you live with a Parkinson’s sufferer the more ingenious ways you will think of to improve their quality of life.

Buying clothes with Velcro or zips will help a Parkinson’s disease sufferer to remain independent for longer. As the disease progresses and intricate hand movements become more difficult, simple things like doing up buttons can become a chore and very frustrating for both the sufferer and the loved one as they watch the struggle. Similarly, try finding shoes that simply slip on or that have Velcro strips as apposed to laces.

There are many ways in which lifestyle can be changed to help a person with Parkinson’s disease lead a normal and active life. Some changes are very minor whereas some are quite an upheaval, for example having the bathroom completely modified. Even so any change to benefit the sufferer is a change well made.

Cory

laxxer6 asked:


is it non communicable?

Richard

Gray Rollins asked:


Parkinson disease is a brain disorder that affects nearly 1.5 million Americans and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. There is no known cure but with research and medication there is hope.

A British physician, Dr. James Parkinson, first described the disease in 1817. It is characterized by slowness, tremors, stiffness and a loss of balance. Only two of these symptoms need to be present, especially if they are more apparent on one side of the body over the other, for a diagnosis of the condition to be made.

Brain cells called neurons are responsible for passing along electrical impulses throughout the brain, from one cell to the next, allowing the brain to function normally. In Parkinson disease, cells in a certain part of the brain called the substantia nigra begin to die or become impaired. These cells are particularly important because they produce a chemical called dopamine. This chemical is responsible for smooth and coordinated movement of the body’s muscles. According to the National Parkinson Foundation, “When approximately 80% of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson disease appear.”

So who’s at risk for developing Parkinson disease? Almost everyone; the disease doesn’t seem to be selective and affects women and men equally; and while it is generally considered a disease of the elderly that occurs after the age of 65, about 15% of the affected population are diagnosed under the age of 50. Parkinson affect 1 out of every 100 people and there doesn’t seem to be any social, ethnic, economic or geographic boundaries either. “Currently, researchers suspect that the cause of Parkinson disease in most individuals reflects a combination of genetic factors and environmental exposures.” (National Parkinson Foundation)

Parkinson’s isn’t easy to diagnose either. There is no blood test or brain scan that definitively points to the condition - doctors diagnose based on the process of elimination and patient symptoms. Other signs of the disease include: a shuffling walk, small cramped handwriting, muffled speech, depression and stiff facial expressions. There are doctors, neurologists, who specialize in the treatment of neurological disorders and of these even more specialized practioners who specifically treat Parkinson disease.

There are treatment options available to ease the symptoms of the disease. Most of the hallmarks of Parkinson disease are caused by the lack of dopamine-producing cells existing or still functioning in the brain, so conventional treatment includes medications that mimic or replace dopamine. This helps to reduce the stiffness, tremors, slow movement and poor balance associated with the condition. Several promising new medicines are being developed and studied to halt the progression of the disease, too. http://www.withparkinsons.com/experimentalparkinsonstreatments/

Surgery can be another option to help ease the symptoms for some Parkinson sufferers - brain surgery can be dangerous so this is most often only considered after treatment with medication seems ineffective.

There is currently no cure for Parkinson disease, but there is support and treatment available; and with researchers working diligently to develop medications to halt the progression of the disease, there is also hope for the future.

Daniel

Brad S asked:


Every once in a while I will be trying to fall asleep and all of a sudden my body jerks, almost like i was just struck by lightning, this does not happen every night, but every so often, can anybody tell me what this is, and if so, is it connected to parkinsons?

Rebecca

David Parkinson asked:


Let me first assume that you are an experienced blackjack player.If you are,then you know when to bet,split and double down etc.If you are new to blackjack,and want to learn the basics,this article is not for you.There are however tables available for new players that will point you in the right direction.They are all basically all the same,with just slight variations and preferences.I concur with most of the tables available,but perhaps split and double down much less than recommended.You can get these tables online from any search engine - just enter “blackjack strategy” for a great selection.

Those tables to guide the new player can at first seem very daunting.I would not recommend you try to remember those tables.Just log onto any low stake game,and play.Refer to the tables for guidance as you play.It is amazing how quickly you pick up the procedure,and pretty soon it all becomes automatic.

As the article started,i assume you are a good blackjack player,and generally finish level or win.Blackjack is moderately entertaining when playing,but i can think of better ways to pass the time.

You have to play to win - and not take all day about it.!

If you adhere to this staking plan,and you are a solid player,you will win consistently.There is a big “but”in this equation - MANY OF YOU WILL NOT STICK TO THIS STAKING PLAN.I know that because i have great trouble myself,and i KNOW it works - you are just taking my word for it.

Blackjack is a game where a good player and the dealer are evenly matched.About evens over a session.Maybe a good player can just about tilt it over into their favour over time with level stakes,but its an almighty struggle,and maybe not really worth it if it takes a long time(you might as well get a proper job,and that is something to be avoided).

THE STAKING PLAN

The only advantage you have over the dealer is the stakes you play for - use this to your advantage - it is the only one you have got !

The one thing that can sabotage any blackjack campaign is the long losing run(see article gamblers - beware that diabolical losing run).Losing runs have to be eliminated.and winning runs enhanced.

With this staking plan you will always work in SHORT SESSIONS.This is why it is only viable for online blackjack.You will not be able to,or want to,play like this at the casino.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE LOSING(THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE LESS CREDIT THAN WHEN YOU STARTED SESSION.)

If you have less credit than the amount you deposited,you must NEVER increase your stakes.Just play for level stakes,and either play through till credit has gone,or maybe till you are fed up and bored and log off,alternatively you may have battled your way through to profit,and change your tactics accordingly.

The biggest danger when behind,is that it seems so easy to get straight and into profit with just one or two larger bets.You reason that you are a good blackjack player and are statistically slightly better than evens to win overall.Therefore as you are losing right now,it must swing into your favour very soon.Please resist this reasoning - a big losing run is now possible,and may take weeks of good play to repair.

I want you to be bored when you are losing - log off and come back in an hour or so,refreshed and eager to get into profit in your next separate session.Make losing mundane and boring,make winning exciting and exhilarating - LOSE SMALL - WIN BIG.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE WINNING(THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE MORE CREDIT THAN WHEN YOU STARTED SESSION)

THERE ARE 2 CHOICES - PLAY RATCHET PLAN - OR GO FOR GLORY.

RATCHET PLAN

As soon as you are in front you must increase your stakes.A good guide is - if you are just in front,say at start of game,double your stakes.As,hopefully your winning run continues,so will your stakes.

For simplicity lets say you play for $5 when losing and $10 when in front.This $10 will increase as you climb that winning ladder.Use this -

As soon as you get OVER $200 profit your stakes will increase to $20(10%)

As soon as you get OVER $300 profit your stakes will increase to $30(10%)

and so on.

You MUST however apply that ratchet effect when you start to slip down that winning ladder.NEVER EVER drop your stakes.If you were playing for $40 and have now slipped to say $380 - log off.

Job well done,and you can again come back again in an hour or so refreshed and ready to start with ANOTHER SESSION.

You may have only been playing for a couple of minutes,and want to continue as you are having such a good run.Please resist this temptation.Take your profits and go - anyway whats so bad with taking a good profit after a short session of blackjack ? - it beats sitting there for hour after hour and finishing level thats for sure.

PLAN 2 - GO FOR GLORY.

Once you are in front,i am quite relaxed about how you play and what your stakes are.Maybe you have got stuck $30 or $40 dollars in front and can’t beat the dealer and throw it all in on one bet - is this stupid ? - no i don’t think so.As long as you are in front(yes i know it is now your money)i don’t see anything wrong with it.However you must have the discipline when making this bet to immediately snap back to your minimum stake if you lose - not easy !.

Also you may want a more relaxed staking plan to the ratchet,and again,as long as you are in credit,you really can do what you want,particularly if you have already had a couple of winning sessions earlier on,and want to really push on for a great winning day.

To sum up,you simply must at all costs avoid that catastrophic losing session - this is where the casinos make their big profits.It also takes a long time to recoup those losses,and it also demoralizes you,and depletes the overall confidence.

Stay in control when losing !

protect your winnings with a ratchet control !

maybe from time to time go for glory !

Dorothy

Mike Herman asked:


Parkinson’s disease tends to be a very frightening disease to be diagnosed with. Knowing what it is and what the symptoms are will help you to catch it in the early stages and begin treatment right away.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
When brain cells (neurons) deteriorate, Parkinson’s disease is the result. It is considered a chronic condition, as opposed to acute, because it has no cure and doesn’t go away by itself. It is also a degenerative disease, meaning that it breaks down the body of the person it attacks. Muscle control is lost due to a lack of dopamine in the brain and, because of this, a difficulty in walking, coordination, and severe shaking develop.
Characteristics and Signs of Parkinson’s
Some of the signs of Parkinson’s to look out for include:
• Tremors or Trembling: for nearly three quarters of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the appearance of tremors or trembling is the first noticeable symptom.
• Muscle stiffness -Parkinson’s patients experiencing stiffness or rigidity may not notice any other symptoms of this characteristic. In fact, the person may not even notice the signs of rigidity unless a physician notes it during a physical examination.
The presence of physical rigidity, such as decreased arm swing, is especially useful in helping medical personnel establish a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.
This may also include ‘Freezing’ which is the sudden inability to move when you want to , a foot on one side starts to drag, and difficulty walking through doorways and hallways.
• Lacking coordination
• Difficulty maintaining balance
• Difficulty controlling facial muscles – Akinesia and bradykinesia – these characteristics may manifest themselves in the face, for example, as reduced facial expression, infrequent blinking, and slow swallowing resulting in increased saliva secretion, and occasionally, drooling.
A person with Parkinson’s disease may also notice a change in his or her voice: it may become low and monotone, with little or no inflection. Akinesia and bradykinesia may also appear as trouble executing certain movements, and increased slowness when movements are attempted or executed.
• Talking more quietly
• Raspy voice
• Difficulty with motor skills – The result is lessened in fine motor skills dexterity and may mean the person with Parkinson’s may require help with everyday tasks such as shaving, tying laces, fastening buttons, and handwriting.
• Oily skin and dandruff – Seborrheic dermatitis: Parkinson’s patients may notice that they have developed greasier skin, especially around the nose and eyebrows, and a greasier scalp. This symptom is usually accompanied by increased sweating.
• Non-specific sensory symptoms – Unusual sensory feelings such as numbness, pain, burning sensation, restlessness and fatigue can also be indicators of Parkinson’s disease.
• Depression and senility, as well as dementia, are secondary symptoms of Parkinson’s.
Feeling anxious, angry, discouraged or downright depressed is common as the brain is undergoing a number of chemical changes. Approximately 40-70 percent of Parkinson’s sufferers experience depression at times, while 20 percent of these are considered a major depressive disorder.
Anxiety or panic attacks are common psychological elements of the disease as well. An average of 70 percent of people who have pre-existing depression also develop anxiety whereas 90 percent who first experience anxiety fall victim to depression.
Dementia is evidenced in 20-30 percent of sufferers and this gradual decline first starts with slowness in thought and advances to a difficulty in properly organizing thoughts.
In most cases, only one side of the body will be affected in the early stages of the disease, and the hands and feet are the most likely area where tremors will first be noticed.
One symptom does not mean that you have Parkinson’s. It usually arrives in the form of a combination of symptoms over a prolonged period.
If you have concerns, consult your doctor.

Tina