Are Parkinson's And MS Related?

Are Parkinson's And MS Related?

Table of Contents:

Overview

What is Parkinson's Disease?

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

How Are They Related?

Conclusion

Overview

The nervous system is a complicated organ that is responsible for transmitting brain signals to move body parts and motivating the senses to react appropriately to each situation.

When one of these abilities is lost, it can lead to difficulties and sometimes an incapability to move.

Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis are examples of these abilities that may affect the body's movement.

In the following article, we will explore Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis, as we will cover their causes, symptoms, treatments, and how they are related to each other.

What is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's is a disease that impacts the nervous system, leading to involuntary shaking and affecting your ability to manage body actions.

In medical terms, Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects dopamine production in the substantia nigra.

Typical Parkinson's symptoms are stiffness of the muscles, slowness of movement, and impaired balance, which sometimes lead to falling.

However, the most obvious and common symptom is the involuntary shaking of arms, legs, heads, or jaws.

Depression, sleep disorders, skin problems, and difficulty chewing and speaking may also accompany the condition.

Causes:

Parkinson's disease occurs when specific nerve cells in the brain die due to the loss of dopamine.

When the level of dopamine falls, it causes irregular brain reactions, such as inadequate movements and involuntary shaking.

However, genes are sorted as the main cause of Parkinson's, as researchers have found that some specific genetic mutations can cause Parkinson's.

Other studies say that some environmental factors can also play an important role in increasing the symptoms and worsening the illness.

Symptoms:

People with Parkinson's syndrome have different symptoms and progression rates, but the disease's advancement is mainly divided into five main stages.

The first stage starts with early mild symptoms like changes in posture or facial expressions that don't pose a serious challenge or impede day-to-day tasks.

At the beginning of stage two, bad posture and trembling will get worse and more noticeable, and as the tremor affects both sides of the body, daily activities will become more difficult.

The third stage is marked by loss of balance and slowness of movement, which may cause the patient to fall out more frequently.

As the fourth stage approaches, symptoms start to become severe, making the patient unable to stand or walk without assistance.

After that, the most advanced stage hits, which is stage five.

Stage five is where the patient will require a wheelchair and constant nursing in doing simple actions, such as standing up or sitting down.

Hallucinations and illusions may also accompany this stage.

Treatments:

Parkinson's disease cannot be completely treated. However, a few medications may help you manage your tremor, and they often work as a dopamine substitute, as there're always some tools that work great as a shaking reducer.

In more severe cases, your doctor may recommend some surgeries that will lessen your body shaking.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the brain, the central nervous system, and the spinal cord.

It happens as the immune system strikes the myelin, which is considered to be the protective sheath of the nerve fibers, which directly leads to difficulties with the connection between the brain and the whole body.

MS is often mistaken for myasthenia gravis, which is a chronic neurological disorder that also leads to problems with the central nervous system.

Well, it should be mentioned that while they are a little similar, they are not the same disease, and each one of them has different causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Causes:

The same as Parkinson's, the main cause of multiple sclerosis isn't defined.

However, it's suggested that it can be a combination between genetics and environmental conditions.

As well, some factors are believed to worsen the symptoms, such as stress and depression.

Symptoms:

Just like Parkinson's, there are different types and stages of multiple sclerosis progress.

Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS):

This is the first stage of MS, which occurs with symptoms that last for 24 hours.

Relapse-remitting MS (RRMS):

85% of MS patients are diagnosed with RRMS, making it the most common type of it.

It's the stage where symptoms start to worsen, and sometimes it can be accompanied by periods of remission, where the symptoms might go away partly or entirely.

Primary progressive MS (PPMS):

Approximately 15% of MS patients have PPMS, which is a phase where you'll experience instability and problems with body balancing, accompanied with progressive that worsens with time.

Secondary progressive MS (SPMS):

SPMS is an episode where you'll start to experience relapse and remission, with symptoms developing at a slow pace.

Treatments:

There is no precise therapy for multiple sclerosis. Treatment generally concentrates on making the process of recovery faster, delaying the progression of the condition, and managing the disease's stages.

Depending on the type and stage of the illness, the doctor may prescribe medications that can lessen symptoms.

Sometimes, symptoms can be so mild that no medications are needed.

How Are They Related?

MS and Parkinson's disease can be both found in one person, but it could be just a random occurrence.

According to research, the brain damage caused by MS may cause some people to develop Parkinson's disease later in life.

When you have MS, your immune system causes chronic inflammation, resulting in brain lesions that affect the dopamine percentage in your brain, possibly leading to Parkinson's.

Both diseases affect the central nervous system of the brain and spinal cord, as they can both affect the movements of the body.

Despite both impacting nerves, MS can impair the myelin coating, while Parkinson's provokes the death of nerve cells in a precise region of the brain.

Additionally, MS usually influences people between the ages of 20 and 50, while Parkinson's often appears in older people, approximately at the age of 60.

Even though MS and Parkinson's share some symptoms of shaky hands, weak limbs, slurred speech, and poor balance, they are not the same conditions. You can, however, have both at the same time.

Conclusion

Although living with these two conditions is not a simple challenge, many patients find acceptance and lead very productive lives despite their conditions.

The best cure for these diseases lies within living your life to the fullest, interacting more, and having an upbeat spirit that nothing can break.