Parkinson’s Awareness Month
Practice News
Parkinson’s Awareness Month
What is ‘Parkinson’s disease’?
Parkinsonism is an umbrella term used to cover a range of conditions that share similar symptoms to Parkinson’s.
Some, including healthcare professionals and people living with the condition, will say Parkinson’s disease, or PD for short.
We call it Parkinson’s. We don’t use the word ‘disease’ because some people with Parkinson’s have told us it sounds negative, or like an infectious illness. But unlike the flu or measles, you can’t catch Parkinson’s from someone.
We don’t yet know exactly why people get Parkinson’s. Researchers think it’s a combination of age, genetic, and environmental factors that cause the dopamine-producing nerve cells to die. But they agree Parkinson’s is not infectious, so we avoid the term ‘disease’.
What are the main types of parkinsonism?
There are 3 main forms of parkinsonism, as well as other related conditions.
Idiopathic Parkinson’s
Most people with parkinsonism have idiopathic Parkinson’s, also known as Parkinson’s. Idiopathic means the cause is unknown.
The most common symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson’s are tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement.
Vascular parkinsonism
Vascular parkinsonism (also known as arteriosclerotic parkinsonism) affects people with restricted blood supply to the brain. Sometimes people who have had a mild stroke may develop this form of parkinsonism.
Common symptoms include problems with memory, sleep, mood and movement.
Drug-induced parkinsonism
Some drugs can cause parkinsonism.
Neuroleptic drugs (used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders), which block the action of the chemical dopamine in the brain, are thought to be the biggest cause of drug-induced parkinsonism.
The symptoms of drug-induced parkinsonism tend to stay the same – only in rare cases do they progress in the way that Parkinson’s symptoms do.
Drug-induced parkinsonism only affects a small number of people, and most will recover within months – and often within days or weeks – of stopping the drug that’s causing it.
Other types of parkinsonism
How is parkinsonism diagnosed?
You should be referred to a Parkinson’s specialist for the diagnosis of any parkinsonism. They may wish to explore different things before giving you a diagnosis.
Your specialist will look at your medical history, ask you about your symptoms and do a medical examination.
Telling the difference between types of parkinsonism isn’t always easy, for the following reasons:
- The first symptoms of the different forms of parkinsonism are so similar.
- In many cases, parkinsonism develops gradually. Symptoms that allow your doctor to make a specific diagnosis may only appear as your condition progresses.
- Everyone with parkinsonism is different and has different symptoms.
There Isn’t One Parkinson’s Journey: stories hub | Parkinson’s UK (parkinsons.org.uk)