According to research findings released May 4th, 2020 and reported on AJMC, men with modest alcohol consumption are at a greater risk of getting Parkinson’s when compared to very light drinkers. However, the research concluded that there is no significant link between alcohol consumption and the risk of Parkinson’s Disease.  The study references research publications from PubMed.gov and is supported by national alcohol and drug recovery resource, victoryoflife.com.

Parkinson’s Disease is a condition involving the nervous system that affects movement, which often includes tremors. Nerve cell damage in the brain causes dopamine levels to drop, leading to the abnormal movements caused by the disease. Learn more here.

There are a range of symptoms and signs of Parkinson’s Disease and they can differ from person to person.  Typically, symptoms start on one side of the body and tend to remain worse on that side.

Known symptoms and signs include:

• Tremors. Trembling (or shaking) typically starts in a limb, commonly your hands or fingers. This may include rubbing your thumb and forefinger back and forth, also known as a pill-rolling tremor. These tremors are not uncommon even if your hands are at rest.
• Bradykinesia (Slowed movement). Parkinson’s disease may gradually reduce your movement, which can make simple tasks time consuming and more difficult. When you walk your steps may become shorter, and it may be difficult to simply stand up out of a chair. Dragging your feet as you try to walk is not uncommon either.
• Stiff muscles. Muscle rigidness may occur in any part of your body. This can limit your range of motion and be painful.
• Balance and posture impairment. Your posture may end up being stooped, or you may have balance problems caused by the disease.
• Loss of automatic movements. You may have a decreased ability to perform unconscious movements, including blinking, smiling or swinging your arms when you walk.
• Changes in speech. You may speak softly, quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than have the usual inflections.
• Difficulty writing. Your writing may appear smaller, and it may become difficult to write.

Unfortunately, there is currently no treatment that can cure Parkinson’s Disease. However, there are certain treatments readily available to aid in easing the signs and symptoms. 

Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease varies by patient and is based on a persons signs and symptoms. Treatments can consist of surgical therapy, medications and certain lifestyle changes.

There are many drugs offered to treat signs and symptoms. However, none of them are known to completely reverse the impacts of the condition. It is typically recommended for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease to take a variety of these medicines.

It is unknown what causes Parkinson’s disease. However, there are certain factors that play a role:

• Genetics. Research has identified that Parkinson’s Disease can be caused be certain genetic mutations. These tend to be unlikely except in specific cases with more than one family member that has history of the disease.

  With that said, there are certain gene variations that have been found to increase the chances of Parkinson’s Disease (uncommon).

• Environment. Research has found that exposure to specific toxins or environmental triggers may increase the likelihood Parkinson’s disease.

There is no specific test designed to diagnose Parkinson’s Disease. Neurologists diagnose the disease based on a patients signs and symptoms, medical history and physical examination.

Parkinson’s Disease may cause change in speech and speech difficulty. Here are some of the changes that may be observed:

• Voice might get softer, or hoarse, which can cause others to have a hard time to hear what is being said.
• Slurred speech.
• Mumbling.
• Monotone tone of voice.
• Hard time finding the proper words.
• Difficulty participating in fast paced conversations.

Yes. These are potential symptoms of Parkinson’s disease often referred to as PD psychosis. Typically, hallucinations are a result of side effects from medications prescribed for the disease. These hallucinations can be:

• visual (seen)
• auditory (heard)
• olfactory (smelled)
• tactile (felt)
• gustatory (tasted)

Parkinson’s Disease is best known for causing neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH). However, it can also cause heart rhythm abnormalities.  It continues to be unknown how significant are the consequences of these abnormalities.

Heart conditions such as coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy are not thought to belong to the pathology of Parkinson’s Disease, but can co-exist. If you or someone you know is suffering from chest pain, please contact your cardiologist for a cardiac evaluation.