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Healthy Considerations » Entries tagged with "Parkinson’s"

Is Parkinson’s Surgery An Option?

February 28th, 2007 | Add a Comment

Despite tremendous advances in drugs and techniques to manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative illness that affects about one percent of men and women over the age of 50, not everyone is able to benefit from the improvements. Parkinson’s disease is a highly individualized condition that attacks everyone differently. With the promise of stem cell therapy on the horizon, and the general effectiveness of existing drug treatments including the commonly administered levodopa, most Parkinson’s sufferers are able to cope with their disease. There are, however, cases of rapidly progressing or unusually severe Parkinson’s that necessitate surgery as a treatment option. Surgery for Parkinson’s disease is brain surgery, which by its very nature is extremely risky, with the very real potential for permanent brain damage. If, however, all other avenues … Read entire article »

Filed under: Parkinson's, Surgery

Parkinson’s Doesn’t Age Discriminate

September 8th, 2006 | Add a Comment

Often thought of as an age-related illness reserved for the elderly, many people are surprised to hear that Parkinson’s disease can strike the young as well. It’s estimated that Parkinson’s affects about one percent of the population over the age of 50, although some studies bump this figure to one percent of people over the age of 65, and two percent over the age of 70. On the lower end, the Journal of Family Medicine suggests as high as five percent of Parkinson’s cases have been diagnosed in people under the age of 40. “The average age of onset is 60 years of age, although 5% of patients are under age 40,” the Journal’s Matthew Stern has written. “The precise cause of Parkinson’s disease is not yet clear, but the disease … Read entire article »

Filed under: Parkinson's