Dr. James Beck 00:00:04
Hi, my name is Dr. Jim Beck. I'm the Chief Scientific Officer at the Parkinson's Foundation. On this episode of NeuroTalk, I'm going to debunk several myths about Parkinson's disease.
Myth one: Parkinson's disease is only a movement disorder. In fact, Parkinson's disease is more than a movement disorder. It affects people on the way they walk, on the way they move, but also affects them on the inside. People with Parkinson's disease can experience what are called non-motor symptoms. These include depression, anxiety and low blood pressure. They can have constipation. They could have issues of sweating that are unexpected. They can have problems with sleep and pain. These are all issues that people with Parkinson's disease can experience that are not the movement side of Parkinson's disease.
Dr. James Beck 00:00:58
The myth: if someone with Parkinson's disease looks good, then they must feel good. The problem with Parkinson's disease is that just because someone's motor symptoms are well controlled doesn't mean they're actually feeling good on the inside.
People with Parkinson's disease can experience anxiety. They can experience depression. They can be experiencing pain as part of their Parkinson's disease. Sometimes if people aren't moving at all, it could be because their medication has worn off, and they're experiencing what is called an off episode, which can be very uncomfortable for a person with Parkinson's disease.
Another myth is that when people have Parkinson's disease, they can blame the disease every time they don't feel well. Certain symptoms should never be attributed to Parkinson's disease. They include fever, which can often indicate an infection. They can include headache, vision loss or vertigo, which can often indicate another neurologic condition that maybe should be addressed by your physician. Headache, vision loss, vertigo, loss of sensation, loss of muscle strength and chest pain are not symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Dr. James Beck 00:01:56
Another myth is that Parkinson's disease has flare-ups. Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressing disease. If there's a sudden change in how someone feels or how they act, it may be due to another cause. Often, it can be an infection, such as a urinary tract infection.
If symptoms worsen over the course of days or weeks, then it is critical to search for an underlying cause like changes in your medication, infection, dehydration, sleep deprivation or other medical problems that can worsen Parkinson's disease.
Another myth is that your doctor can predict your disease progression. Parkinson's disease is highly variable from person to person, and even an expert in Parkinson's disease cannot predict what the future holds for you. Remember, research shows that you can improve your quality of life at every stage of the disease by staying fit, getting adequate sleep and having proper nutrition.
Dr. James Beck 00:02:48
Another myth about Parkinson's disease is that the latest herbal tea or vitamin may actually cure your Parkinson's disease. Unfortunately, that's not the case. If you're experiencing troubles with your Parkinson's disease, talk to your doctor about ways in which to manage the symptoms of the disease.
Another myth is that stem cells are a cure for Parkinson's disease. That's not the case. Currently, there's no approved stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease, and when and if that happens, at best, stem cells will provide symptomatic relief for Parkinson's disease, not a way to slow the disease or cure it.
Go to our website Parkinson.org to learn more about Parkinson's disease.
