2023-07-20 09:53:43
Neurologist Fang Dawei reminded that elders who move slowly and count money may suffer from Parkinson’s disease. (Photo by reporter Zheng Jinqing)
Reporter Zheng Jinqing / Taitung Report
If the elders in the family experience slow movements or counting banknotes, they may be suffering from Parkinson’s disease. However, tremors or weakness are often confused with other diseases and must be further examined and diagnosed by a professional doctor. Family members can help with some simple tests for early detection and early treatment, so as not to miss the golden period of treatment.
A 70-year-old woman was sent to the emergency department when her hands trembled and it was difficult for her to stand during rehearsals before the choir’s performance. After medical history inquiry, it was found that Mrs. Chen had progressive walking difficulties in recent years and needed to use crutches to help her walk. Relatives and friends thought that the degeneration of the lumbar spine caused the weakness of her feet.
Scanned by dopamine transporter, it is confirmed that there is obvious low activity of asymmetric dopamine neurons, which is a typical Parkinson’s disease, and the movement disorder has been gradually improved following drug treatment.
Dawei Fang, a neurologist at Mackay in Taitung, pointed out that the prevalence rate of Parkinson’s disease is regarding 300 per 100,000 population. Huadong has a high proportion of elderly people, and many elderly people live alone or are not easy to find in institutions.
There are four typical symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, slow movement is the main core symptom, and the other three include muscle stiffness, resting tremor, and postural instability. Resting tremor is characterized by movements like rubbing pills or counting banknotes. Symptoms may be asymmetrical between left and right hands, and tremors in the jaw may also occur. Because tremors are easily confused with other diseases, surface electromyography is usually arranged to differentiate the types of tremors.
Fang Dawei reminded that Parkinson’s disease is a common progressive degenerative disease with very diverse symptoms. Although it cannot be cured by current medical technology, early intervention, mainly drugs, supplemented by exercise or rehabilitation, coupled with the assistance of auxiliary medical and social resources, will effectively improve the quality of life of patients, prolong and enhance their autonomous activities. Early detection and early treatment, if it is discovered in the middle and late stages, it would be a pity to miss the golden treatment period.
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