Parkinson s Disease A Progressive Disorder - 1751 Words

Each year more than 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PDF, 2014). That sixty thousand does not include the many thousand cases that go undetected each year. Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder that occurs in the nervous system. This disease affects a person’s movement. Parkinson’s disease develops progressively. The most common first sign of Parkinson’s is slight shaking of a body part. In the initial phase of Parkinson’s a person will experience slurring of speech and an expressionless face (Mayo Clinic, 2014). With time, the symptoms of Parkinson’s exacerbate. This disease is most frequently seen in people over the age of 50 (PDF, 2014). Parkinson’s disease is generated by a great number of reasons. Parkinson’s†¦show more content†¦Another cause can be the existence of Lewy bodies in the patients brain. Lewy bodies are bundles of certain substances among brain cells. Within Lewy bodies a protein termed alpha-synuclein is present (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Researchers say that synuclein is an immense factor in Parkinson’s disease. Environmental toxins can also increase the decay of neurons. A few of the toxins that have been associated with Parkinson’s disease consist of carbon disulfide, commonly found in many gases released from the earth’s surface, manganese, found in iron and steel, and carbon monoxide, which is the gas produced by cars (WebMD, 2014). All of these factors lead to patients showing signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The most common sign of Parkinson’s is shaking of a patients body, most commonly the hands. With time these symptoms worsen and can become as serious as having difficulty swallowing in the later stages of the disease (WebMD, 2014). The symptoms that occur in between these two stages vary greatly. A symptom that develops shortly after the beginning stage is bradykinesia, slow movement (Mayo Clinic, 2014). This affects a person’s ability to walk or even the capability to get out of bed. Another symptom such as muscle rigidity occurs in numerous patients. This muscle stiffness can arise in any part of a victim’s body. This decreases a person’s area of movement because of the immense amount irritation that takes place.