Parkinson's Vocabulary Lesson

Isn’t it wonderful how my vocabulary has increased since getting PD. I’ve learned new words and new meanings to words. Here are a few.

PARKINSON’S (PD) as in: Do you have Parkinson’s, the neurodegenerative brain disorder marked by tremors, muscular rigidity, movement problems, and postural instability associated with a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine? Yes, I have PD.

SINEMET as in: Do you take Sinemet a combination of carbidopa and levodopa for the treatment of Parkinson's disease? The symptoms it treats are tremor, stiffness, and movement difficulty. Possible side effects are hallucinations, dizziness, fainting, depression, twitching, twisting,  uncontrolled repetitive movements, and many more.

Dopamine: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate movement and emotional responses. The deterioration of neurons in the brain that produce dopamine is believed to cause Parkinson's Disease.

Tremors: Tremors are the shake in the shake, rattle, and roll of Parkinson’s. They

can occur in any part of the body but are mostly present in the hands and can make eating, dressing, and life really difficult.

Rigidity: 90 to 99% of PWP experience rigidity. Rigidity keeps muscles in an involuntary state of continual tension and can be caused by neurological damage or as a side effect of medications. Should I take my meds or not? Damned if you do, damned if you don’t

Bradykinesia: Bradykinesia is slowness of movement and can be caused by PD or as a side effect of medicine prescribed to treat PD. You lose either way.

Bradyphrenia: Literally slow mind. Who knows if it is due to PD or due to aging but fear of cognitive impairment is a major concern of many PWP.

Dystonia as in: Try not to stare at people who have dystonia. It’s a neurological movement disorder caused by incorrect signals from the brain resulting in sustained muscle contractions which cause twisting of body parts, repetitive movements and abnormal postures.

Retropulsion: Involuntary backward movement that often cannot be controlled or stopped and may result in falling.

Anxiety and Depression: Mood disorders like anxiety and depression are real clinical symptoms of Parkinson's just like tremor and rigidity.

Despair: The fact that PD is progressive and cannot be slowed, stopped or reversed causes me to sometimes lose hope and give in to despair. 

Hope: Class is over for the day. I hope a cure is found soon and I don’t have to experience additional PD related words like akinesia, dysarthria, micrographia, freezing, postural instability, and so many more.