Parkinson's Disease: Diagnosis & Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. Treatment can help you manage your symptoms and live independently for longer, but it can't slow or stop the overall progression of the disease.

Receiving a Parkinson's diagnosis can be devastating news. Taking care of yourself and promoting your brain health can help you navigate life with Parkinson's and help keep the disease from progressing faster than necessary. Self-care habits for Parkinson's disease include:

• Exercise: Getting enough physical activity can help maintain your motor abilities. Studies show that exercise can help slow the progression of Parkinson’s diseases symptoms. Focus on getting a mix of aerobic activity, resistance training, flexibility/stretching, and balance practice to counteract the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Current guidelines suggest trying to do 2 ½ hours of moderate to vigorous exercise per week.
• Diet: A healthy diet can help slow the progression of Parkinson's. Focus on fresh produce, non-fried fish, nuts and seeds, fresh herbs, and healthy oils like olive and coconut oil.
• Support: Depression and feelings of isolation are common among people with Parkinson's. It can help to join a support group, talk to friends and family, or see a therapist.
• Hydration: Getting enough water is essential for your brain health. Dehydration can worsen Parkinson's symptoms like stiffness or slow movement.
• Stress management: Stress is known to worsen Parkinson's symptoms. Learning to manage stress through meditation, deep breathing, yoga, and similar methods can help. Tai chi, a traditional Chinese exercise focusing on slow, controlled movement, is helpful in managing stress, depression, and anxiety and is also effective in helping you maintain your balance.

Proper care is crucial. Seek care with a neurologist who you will work with to monitor and treat your symptoms. Speak to your doctor or neurologist about lifestyle changes that can help and ask about when it's appropriate for you to start treatment with levodopa. If your symptoms are mild and don't interfere with daily life, you may decide to wait.

Despite the difficulties that Parkinson's symptoms cause in daily life, PD is rarely a cause of death. Most people with Parkinson's live as long as the general population, though they may need assistance with daily activities as the condition worsens.

Parkinson's is a progressive disease, so it will get worse with time. Lifestyle factors can help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. You can improve your life by:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Getting enough exercise, including resistance training, stretching, aerobic exercise, and working on balance
• Drinking enough water
• Managing stress

There is not a specific Parkinson’s diet, but it is best to keep a healthy, balanced diet. A Mediterranean diet is rich in nutrients that help brain health, and may be helpful for people with Parkinson’s and other brain conditions.

Some studies show that caffeine may delay the onset of PD.

There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. The primary treatment for PD symptoms uses medicines to help your brain make more dopamine.

A number of other conditions present similar symptoms to Parkinson's disease, including:

• Corticobasal syndrome: Like Parkinson's, corticobasal syndrome can cause issues with balance, movement, and swallowing.
• Dementia with Lewy bodies: Lewy bodies are found in the brain cells of people with both Parkinson’s and dementia with Lewy bodies. Lewy bodies are abnormal clumps of alpha-synuclein, a protein in the brain. In dementia with Lewy bodies, cognitive problems start around the same time as motor symptoms, whereas in Parkinson’s, dementia usually develops later.
• Multiple system atrophy (MSA): MSA shares symptoms that resemble Parkinson's, including tremor, stiffness, and problems with coordination. It can also affect the autonomic nervous system, leading to problems with blood pressure, urination, and sexual function.
• Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP): PSP shares many of the same symptoms as Parkinson's but typically progresses faster and causes issues with eye movements and early falls, which are less common in Parkinson's.
• Essential tremor: Essential tremor is not a form of Parkinsonism. Essential tremor causes rhythmic shaking, often in the hands, head, legs, or voice. Shaking in essential tremor is usually more pronounced when using the hands, unlike Parkinson’s where the tremor is often worse when the hand or leg is at rest.
• Huntington's Disease: Huntington’s can cause chorea, a movement disorder that causes involuntary movements. Chorea causes bigger, less rhythmic movements than Parkinson’s.
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH): Caused by excessive cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, NPH can mimic symptoms of multiple neurological conditions, including dementia and difficulty walking, similar to Parkinson’s disease.