What is Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease is a common neurological disorder that affects slightly more men than women. In the midbrain region of the human brain, there is a group of nerve cells called substantia nigra neurons, which regulate the motor functions of the brain by synthesizing a neurotransmitter called dopamine. When more than 80% of these nigrostriatal neurons degenerate and die, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear. Parkinson’s disease is primarily associated with aging, genetics and environmental factors. Among the environmental factors, Parkinson’s disease is related to industrial and agricultural pollution, indoor decoration pollution, cell phone and computer radiation, etc. 20% of the patients are affected by environmental pollution or chemical toxins. Clinically encountered Parkinson’s disease patients under the age of 50 is increasing, young patients in their 30s are not uncommon, and there are even patients in their teens. Therefore, it is very important to discover the signals from the body in time. The latest information shows that in China, about 1.7% of people over 65 years old suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and nearly 100,000 new cases every year, and experts from the World Health Organization predicted that in China, by 2030 or so, Parkinson’s disease patients will reach 5 million. What kind of people are prone to Parkinson’s? First of all, people who use their brains a lot, the survey found that people who use their brains a lot compared to people who use their brains relatively little, people who use their brains a lot have a higher incidence rate and are prone to Parkinson’s; secondly, people who are emotionally disturbed, usually anxious and depressed, have a higher chance of suffering from Parkinson’s disease. About 40% of Parkinson’s patients are depressed before the disease, and 30% have an emotional disorder of anxiety. What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s? Most of the patients in contact with the clinic only realize that they may have Parkinson’s disease when they are examined on a daily basis or when their symptoms are serious enough to affect their daily life. However, Parkinson’s disease will show some “signs” before its onset, and it is beneficial to understand these general knowledge to facilitate the early diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Counting banknotes Finger bending, trembling, like counting banknotes or rubbing pills, will disappear after changing postures, and will be aggravated by nervousness, this kind of “stationary tremor” is the earliest manifestation of Parkinson’s disease. This “resting tremor” is the earliest manifestation of Parkinson’s disease. If you experience occasional involuntary finger tremors, you should be alert to the signals of Parkinson’s disease. The early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in older people are more often characterized by “stiffness”, so be careful if your writing gets smaller and smaller, and the spacing of your words gets closer and closer. Frequent insomnia Insomnia is a common condition, but if you toss and turn often, kicking and waving your arms involuntarily in bed, or even falling out of bed, it’s not simply insomnia. Slow movements When you get older, it’s inevitable that your movements will slow down. However, Parkinson’s disease will make the patient always stiff, slow movement, joint bending, and some hunchback, and still no improvement after a night’s sleep. Masked Face When the facial muscles become tight, the patient’s expression changes are no longer as rich, even when listening to jokes. As the number of blinks decreases, the eyes often feel dry, which may also be a sign of Parkinson’s disease. Nine steps to self-test your “Parkinson’s index” How to treat Parkinson’s disease? First, psychological counseling About 35%~45% of Parkinson’s patients suffer from depression, and the counseling of friends and relatives and the treatment of psychiatrists are important supports to overcome the disease. Second, drug treatment When Parkinson’s disease symptoms appear, the dopamine in the patient’s brain has often been reduced by half. Some drugs can exogenously replenish dopamine, and some can increase the neural activity of dopamine, as well as improve the symptoms by protecting neurons and preventing dopamine reduction. Third, surgical treatment Through brain stereotactic technology, two small holes are drilled in the top of the head and a brain pacemaker is implanted into a specific part of the head to inhibit the abnormal electrical activity of neurons, which can also effectively improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Fourth, rehabilitation training Many patients are afraid of falling and do not dare to exercise and rehabilitation therapy, which is not true. Rehabilitation can improve the patient’s coordination and balance ability, adhere to aerobic exercise can not only maintain muscle strength and nerve sensitivity, but also can prevent and relieve constipation, insomnia and other complications. Fifth, meticulous care From the light in the living room to the guardrail beside the bed, from pants with elastic bands to shoes with tear buckles that are easy to put on and take off, from the height of the seat to the sports water bottle at hand, from the non-slip mat in the bathroom to the setting of the temperature of the water, every detail of the care and nursing care of Parkinson’s patients is the basis for ensuring their quality of life.