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A lot of people are anxious about the Coronavirus / Covid epidemic. There is a lot of misinformation about the effect of Covid on Parkinson’s patients. Here is an excellent collection of information on the topic, from reliable sources. In summary: The risk of getting the infection is almost certainly not higher in Parkinson’s patients. […]

More and more evidence suggests that, at least in some people, Parkinson’s disease may start from the gut. An interesting video posted on Facebook (fb/sciencenaturepage) illustrates the theory and recent research. Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY_da0SFs3Q It is very unlikely that this is the cause of Parkinson’s disease in ALL patients. The pathogenesis (disease process) almost certainly

Caution: This information is not a substitute for professional care. Do not change your medications/treatment without your doctor’s permission.

What is the meaning of “Tremor”? Tremor is a medical term that means to-and-fro shaking of a body part. We doctors describe it as a pendulum-like shaking, like the pendulum of a clock (or a metronome). To-&-fro shaking of a body part is called “Tremor” Other abnormal movements are known. For example, sudden jerks of

Do I have Parkinson’s disease? This article is meant only for people who have Parkinson’s disease or are taking care of someone with Parkinson’s disease. It is essential to get evaluated by a specialist neurologist to be sure of the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. I do provide a simple tool for testing yourself for symptoms of Parkinson’s

Sleep problems in Parkinson’s include difficulty staying asleep (Insomnia), trashing in bed while sleeping (REM Behavior Disorder), cramping of the legs or arms while sleeping (OFF-dystonia) and finally, sleepiness or sleeping throughout the day. Each one of these has a specific treatment. Parkinson’s Sleep Problems discussed in this article 1. REM Behavior Disorder (RBD) (“I trash around

Is Depression & Anxiety common in Parkinson’s disease? Yes. Depression & Anxiety are common in Parkinson’s disease. These problems can produce significant disability. About 1 in every 5 patients with Parkinson’s disease may have Depression (Rejinders et al. 2008). Anxiety is even more common – about 1 in 4 patients with Parkinson’s disease have significant

What causes Constipation in Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease affects nerves going to the intestines. As a result, the intestines, just like the rest of the body, move slowly in Parkinson’s disease. This is the major reason why almost all patients of Parkinson’s disease also have constipation. Patients with Parkinson’s disease may also find it difficult

People with Parkinson’s disease may be afraid of being “trapped” in difficult situations: – What if I go to a marriage and start to have a tremor? – What if I am travelling and develop sudden slowness? Luckily, there are “On-Demand” therapies for such situations: Sublingual Apomorphine =======================– You place a thin film below your

Anticholinergics: Trihexyphenidyl, Benztropine. Brandnames in India: Pacitane, Parkin etc… How do these medications work? Dopamine has an enemy in the brain, called Acetylcholine. Acetylcholine actually is a good chemical with a lot of beneficial effects, but one of the things it does is to reverse some of the actions of Dopamine. Acetyl-choline & Dopamine are