Parkinsons disease is a disorder of the brain that leads to shaking (tremors) and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination.

Symptoms

The disorder may affect one or both sides of the body. How much function is lost can vary. Symptoms may be mild at first. For instance, the patient may have a mild tremor or a slight feeling that one leg or foot is stiff and dragging.

Symptoms include:

1) Automatic movements (such as blinking) slow or stop
2) Constipation
3) Difficulty swallowing
4) Drooling
5) Impaired balance and walking
6) Lack of expression in the face (mask-like appearance)
7) Muscle aches and pains (myalgia)
8) Problems with movement

A) Difficulty starting or continuing movement, such as starting to walk or getting out of a chair
B) Loss of small or fine hand movements (writing may become small and difficult to read, and eating becomes harder)
C) Shuffling gait
D) Slowed movements

9) Rigid or stiff muscles (often beginning in the legs)
10) Shaking, tremors

A) Tremors usually occur in the limbs at rest, or when the arm or leg is held out
B) Tremors go away during movement
C) Over time, tremor can be seen in the head, lips, tongue, and feet
D) May be worse when tired, excited, or stressed
E) Finger-thumb rubbing (pill-rolling tremor) may be present

11) Slowed, quieter speech and monotone voice
12) Stooped position
13) Anxiety, stress, and tension
14) Confusion
15) Dementia
16) Depression
17) Fainting
18) Hallucinations
19) Memory loss
20) Oily skin (seborrhea)

Causes

Parkinsons disease was first described in England in 1817 by Dr. James Parkinson. The disease most often develops after age 50. It is one of the most common nervous system disorders of the elderly. Sometimes Parkinson's disease occurs in younger adults, but is rarely seen in children. It affects both men and women. In some cases, Parkinsons disease occurs in families. When a young person is affected, it is usually because of a form of the disease that runs in families. Nerve cells use a brain chemical called dopamine to help control muscle movement. Parkinsons disease occurs when the nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine are slowly destroyed. Without dopamine, the nerve cells in that part of the brain cannot properly send messages. This leads to the loss of muscle function. The damage gets worse with time. Exactly why the brain cells waste away is unknown. Parkinsons in children may occur because the nerves are not as sensitive to dopamine. Parkinsons is rare in children. The term parkinsonism refers to any condition that involves the types of movement changes seen in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism may be caused by other disorders (such as secondary parkinsonism) or certain medications.

Western Medicine Treatment

There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. The goal of treatment is to control symptoms. Medications control symptoms, mostly by increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain. At certain points during the day, the helpful effects of the medication often wears off, and symptoms can return. Your doctor need to be change the:

1) Type of medication
2) Dose
3) Amount of time between doses
4) How the medications are taken

Work closely with your doctors and therapists to adjust the treatment program. Never change or stop taking any medications without talking with your doctor. Many medications can cause severe side effects, including hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and delirium. Monitoring and follow-up by the health care provider is important. Eventually, symptoms such as stooped posture, frozen movements, and speech difficulties may not respond very well to drug treatment. Medications used to treat symptoms of Parkinsons disease are:

1) Levodopa (L-dopa), Sinemet, levodopa and carbidopa (Atamet)
2) Pramipexole (Mirapex), ropinirole (Requip), bromocriptine (Parlodel)
3) Selegiline (Eldepryl, Deprenyl), rasagiline (Azilect)
4) Amantadine or anticholinergic medications; to reduce early or mild tremors
5) Entacapone; to prevent the breakdown of levodopa
6) Lifestyle changes that may be helpful for Parkinsons disease:

A) Good general nutrition and health
B) Exercising, but adjusting the activity level to meet changing energy levels
C) Regular rest periods and avoiding stress
D) Physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy
E) Railings or banisters placed in commonly used areas of the house
F) Special eating utensils

Social workers or other counseling services to help you cope with the disorder and get assistance (such as Meals-on-Wheels)Less commonly, surgery may be an option for patients with very severe Parkinson's disease who no longer respond to many medications. These surgeries do not cure Parkinson's, but may help some patients:

1) In deep brain stimulation (DBS), the surgeon implants electrical stimulators in specific areas of the brain to help with movement.
2 )Another type of surgery destroys brain tissues that cause Parkinsons symptoms.

Adopted from health.yahoo.com