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Dear Ray There is something interesting that I would like to share with everyone. I have been treating Parkinson's patients over the past ten years. Three years ago, I moved to my present hospital, and made two interesting discoveries about Parkinson's. Firstly, I began to notice the non-motor side of Parkinson's - depression, anxiety, hallucination, sleep disorders, etc. I supposed that since I work in a private hospital nowadays (and no longer teach medical students), I have more time to spend with my patients, and thus discover all the non-motor symptoms that my patients have. Previously, I had always focused only on the movement disorder (i.e. the motor symptoms of Parkinson's). Secondly, there is a dramatic increase in the percentage of young-onset Parkinson's in my clinic. I really can't explain this phenomenon. I have patients whose symptoms started as early as 26. I also realize that the young-onset Parkinson's patients are a special subset of Parkinson's patients which needs a rather different management approach - they are really special. The take home message is that we are always at a learning curve, especially when dealing with Parkinson's. Dr Chew, Kuala Lumpur. > Date: Tue, 7 Jul 2009 19:08:42 -0700 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Young-Onset PD more common now > To: [log in to unmask] > > Doctors Diagnosing 'Young Onset' Parkinson's More Often > Token Creek Man Managing Symptoms > UPDATED: 10:13 am CDT July 7, 2009 > > MADISON, Wis. -- Since the high-profile diagnosis of actor Michael J. Fox in > 1991 at age 30, Parkinson's disease has become well-known as a growing and > even somewhat common disease. > > The disease, though, is not one confined to just the aging anymore. When > someone younger than 40 is diagnosed, it's considered "young onset" > Parkinson's disease. The brain degeneration that causes rigidity and tremors > can be even more challenging mentally for a younger patient. > > However, as the disease becomes more common, some are taking it in stride. > Bob Nasett was diagnosed 10 years ago at the age of 37, after watching his > father die of Parkinson's. > > "When he got the disease, he was stiff and had slowness of movement," said > Nasett. "Turning a screwdriver, I could tell that movement was difficult for > me, and I was stiff getting out of chairs, and that's when I started to > realize that it was probably what I had." > Nasett's brother was diagnosed just a year later, at the age of 31. They're > both one of a growing number being diagnosed at what seems like younger and > younger ages. > > "I think we are seeing more and more because we're more aware of the > disorder," said Dr. Efrain Perez, director of the American Parkinson's > Disease Association. "In the old days, we started attributing that we were > getting older, so it's OK to have a little problem with balance, it's OK to > be slow, OK to be hunched. But nowadays, we realize that this is different > manifestations." > > Get embed codeSave & ShareDr. Perez said stiffness or weakness in limbs can > be the first signs of the brain function failing. The major effort, > especially in younger patients, is to manage the symptoms, because they can > only be controlled for 25 to 30 years, said Perez. > "The whole idea is maintaining the patient's ability to function," said > Perez. "There's no cure for Parkinson's disease, so you basically treat the > symptoms." > Nasett has been dealing with symptoms now for 10 years. Despite the disease, > has managed to landscape the outside of his Token Creek home. > > "The medications I'm on now today, I feel like I have better control," said > Nasett. "With my exercise program, and my desire to fight as long as I can, > I think I have better control today than I had before." > > The treatment of Parkinson's now can include a number of different > medications that can control the symptoms. Some come with side-effects and > can affect each patient differently. Dr. Perez said that exercise is also > proving to help drastically with movement. Nasett is currently in a study at > the University of Wisconsin dealing with how exercise can help control > motion. > > There is no cure, and there isn't a known cause for Parkinson's. Doctors > will diagnose 60,000 new cases this year alone -- most will be in people > over age 60. > > According to the American Parkinson Disease Association, roughly 20 percent > of those diagnosed are under age 50, and half of those patients got that > diagnosis before age 40. > > Rayilyn Brown > Director AZNPF > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > [log in to unmask] > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn _________________________________________________________________ More than messages–check out the rest of the Windows Live™. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn