The chronic disease I am researching and writing about is named Parkinson's disease (PD). By definition, Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressive neurologic disease characterized by an expressionless face, tremor at rest, slowing of voluntary movements, walking manners are with short accelerating steps, peculiar posture and muscle weakness, caused by degeneration of an area of the brain known as the basal ganglia, and low production of the neurotransmitter dopamine (basically a chemical released by nerve cells to send signals to other nerve cells). In other words, Parkinson's disease is a disorder that affects the way your body moves and it happens when there is a problem with certain nerve cells in the brain. These nerve cells generally …show more content…
For example, someone affected with Parkinson's disease may have difficulty getting out of their seat or they might speak extremely softly or they begin to write very slow and have messy handwriting than previous. These symptoms are not as obvious because most people would just think they are tired and or they are just having lazy days. As mentioned, these early symptoms occur gradually so friends, family members, or loved one are usually the first to notice changes in the person before they realize it themselves. For instance, a family member might notice that they have become expressionless or that they don’t move as swiftly and easily as they used to. They might notice that the person is now more stiff and unsteady with their body …show more content…
For example, you might not be able to hold your spoons, forks, knives steady, during your meal. You might not be able to hold a newspaper or hold a book steadily enough to read. Most people seek medical help at this point because it has become a more physical change for them. It has now interfered with their daily activities.
Parkinson’s disease may be inherited. If you have a close relative or family member who has had Parkinson's disease, scientists estimated that it might increase five percent of your chances in having the disease. But there is also ninety-five percent of the cases where there are no known cases of heredity. Which is why scientists believe the spread of this disease through heredity is rare, but it can also be
Percy, A. K. (1999). Inherited neurodegenerative disease: The evolution of our thinking. Journal of Child Neurology, 14(4), 256-62. Retrieved from
Parkinson’s disease is not a condition that is necessarily easy to be diagnosed. Therefore, the individual is advised to see a Parkinson’s specialist to receive the most accurate diagnosis and consider what the best course of treatment for the individual would be.
What exactly is Parkinson’s disease? It is a disease of the nervous system; it falls into a group of conditions called motor system disorders. The initial symptoms are normally tremors of a limb, especially when the body is resting. Bradykinesia, akinesia, and postural inability are also symptoms that occur. These symptoms will worsen over time (Genetics Home Reference).
In the United States 54 million people have a disability and only 15 percent were born with a disability (Jaeger & Bowman, 2005). If a person lives long enough, it is statistically likely that they will develop some kind of disability in their advancing years (Jaeger & Bowman, 2005). At some point in your life you could have experience a fractured bone, a minor cut, or had some type of surgery. Imagine after some minor injury that you may not even remember and then experiencing a constant pain so agonizing that no amount of pain medication can make you comfortable (Lang & Moskovitz, 2003). Some additional symptoms that you may also experience are severe burning pain, changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue swelling and extreme sensitivity to touch (Juris, 2005). These symptoms are associated with a disease that is called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) but more recently termed as complex regional pain syndrome, type 1 (CRPS 1) (Juris, 2005). For simplification purposes this disease will be referred to as RSD throughout this paper.
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in the community resulting in significant disability. This global problem has consumed the lives of many. “Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year, and this number does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected” (Statistics on Parkinson’s, 2014). Once this unbiased disease has begun to affect the patient it is a lifelong battle. Parkinson’s disease has a tremendous impact on the patient as they battle for their independence and plead for their acceptance into their own community setting. People living with Parkinson’s disease struggle with tremors, bradykinesia and rigidity. It takes a skilled nurse to be able to care for the patient suffering with Parkinson. With education, support and exercise the patient will be able to feel some sense of hope for their future. The purpose of this paper to is educate the community about Parkinson’s disease and the impact on the patient and on the nurse caring for the patient.
Parkinson's Disease is a mysterious disease that affects the central nervous system and can be very difficult to treat and live with. It is classified as a motor system disorder but is a progressive, chronic disease resulting in
The four key symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremors of the hands, arms, legs, or
Parkinson disease (PD), also referred to as Parkinson’s disease and paralysis agitans, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is the third most common neurologic disorder of older adults. It is a debilitating disease affecting motor ability and is characterized by four cardinal symptoms: tremor rigidity, bradykinesia or kinesis (slow movement/no movement), and postural instability. Most people have primary, or idiopathic, disease. A few patients have secondary parkinsonian symptoms from conditions such as brain tumors and certain anti-psychotic drugs.
Parkinson's is an idiopathic, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that attacks neurotransmitters in the brain called dopamine. Dopamine is concentrated in a specific area of the brain called the substantia nigra. The neurotransmitter dopamine is a chemical that regulates muscle movement and emotion. Dopamine is responsible for relaying messages between the substantia nigra and other parts of the brain to control body movement. The death of these neurotransmitters affects the central nervous system. The most common symptoms are movement related, including shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with posture. Behavioral problems may arise as the disease progresses. Due to the loss of dopamine, Parkinson's patients will often experience depression and some compulsive behavior. In advanced stages of the disease dementia will sometimes occur. The implications of the disease on the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory and phonatory systems significantly control speech.
Nurse’s play a very important role in the delivery of care to an older person and in complex disease such as Parkinson’s disease, the care provided by a nurse is vital for both the patient and the family of the affected person. The aim of this essay is to understand briefly about Parkinson’s disease and associated issues and the role of the nurse in the management of the condition.
Parkinson disease is their affliction. Although Parkinsonism has been around almost as long as recorded history, there is yet to be found a cause or a cure. Medications tame the symptoms and prolong life, but are incapable of reversing the disease progression.. Diagnosis relies exclusively upon clinical signs and symptoms, because almost all laboratory and radiography tests are normal in the Parkinson patient. For this reason early diagnosis is very difficult.
Early symptoms of ALS are very slight and often overlooked. They begin as simple things, such as tripping or dropping things. Twitching or cramping of muscles and abnormal fatigue of the arms and legs may soon follow, causing difficulty in daily activities, such as walking or dressing. In more advanced stages, however, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing and swallowing ensue, until the body is completely taken over by the disease. Intellect, eye motion, bladder function, and sensation are the only abilities spared.
Most cases of Parkinson’s disease result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, which several have not been identified. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS has published several informational papers on Parkinson’s disease that can be found at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm. More than a dozen genes have been identified to influence the risk of developing the disease if they are altered. Genes found in the Parkinson disease gene family have a variety of functions in the brain, as well as other active in other organs and tissues. The survivals of particular nerve c...
Parkinson's Disease has caused problems for many people in this world and plagued the elderly all over the world.Parkinson's disease still puzzles doctors and the causes are unknown. It is known that it is a non-communicable disease and may even be hereditary. Parkinson's disease is thought to be caused by external factors. Most of the cases of this disease are caused by progressive deterioration of the nerve cells, which control muscle movement. Dopamine, one of the substances used in the brain to transmit impulses, is produced in the area of deterioration.
Many people around the world today suffer from Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. A movement disorder is a disorder impairing the speed, fluency, quality, and ease of movement. There are many types of movement disorders such as impaired fluency and speed of movement (dyskinesia), excessive movements (hyperkinesia), and slurred movements (hypokinesia). Some types of movement disorders are ataxia, a lack of coordination, Huntington's disease, multiple system atrophies, myoclonus, brief, rapid outbursts of movement, progressive supranuclear palsy, restless legs syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, tics, Tourette's syndrome, tremor, Wilson disease, dystonia, which causes involuntary body movement, and Parkinson's disease. Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, and tics are one of the most widely known of these disorders, known to impair people of movements and rob them of their lives.