ASK THE DOCTOR: Parkinson's Disease

Ask the Doctor - Leslee Cochrane, MD

Question: I am 65 years old and have recently noticed a tremor in my hands and some increased difficulty with my balance. Does this mean I have Parkinson’s disease?

Answer: There are many potential causes of tremors including medications such as caffeine, strokes, multiple sclerosis, hypoglycemia, brain injury and Parkinson’s disease. Given your description, you see your doctor for further evaluation. Parkinson’s disease is named after the English physician, James Parkinson, who gave a detailed description of the condition in 1817. Although there have been many advances in radiological imaging of the brain, Parkinsons disease is still diagnosed by your doctor examining you for the typical signs including a resting tremor, muscle rigidity, slow movement (bradykinesia), and impaired balance. In order to confirm a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, patients must also respond favorably to a challenge of a medicine such as Sinemet® which contains Carbidopa and Levodopa.

Parkinson’s disease is caused by the loss of the dopamine producing cells in the brain which lead to the above mentioned symptoms. It usually affects people over the age of 50 and increases in frequency with age. As the dopamine production of the brain worsens over time, the symptoms of the disease become more severe. Over time other symptoms including depression, difficulty swallowing and dementia may occur as well. Many of the symptoms can be reduced or managed with the proper use of Parkinson’s medications.

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic persisting illness that may vary from mild to severe and may progress slowly over decades or rapidly. Many of the symptoms can be treated by judicious medication management and in rare cases, surgery might also be beneficial. If you feel that you may have Parkinson’s disease, please see your doctor. He or she may also want you to see a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson’s disease.