What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Most of us have heard of Parkinson’s Disease but very few of us actually know exactly what it is and what the symptoms are.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition which affects around 120,000 people in the UK, which is roughly one in five people. Usually the disease affects those that are over 50, but younger people can be affected as well, with around one in 20 sufferers being diagnosed under the age of 40.

Parkinson’s is well recognised by its symtpms which include steadily worsening trembling in the arms and legs, rigidity in the muscles and a slowing of movements. Around one third of Parkinson’s sufferers also go on to develop senile dementia, whilst other complications such as pneumonia, strokes and infection have been known to occur in seriously affected patients.

Parkinson’s Disease is thought to be related to the fact that sufferers’ brains do not develop enough of the neurotransmitter dopamine, usually because some of the nerves in their brain have died. Dopamine helps to regulate motor functions and a deficiency leads to movements becoming slower. There is no known cure for Parkinson’s and it is known as a critical illness, which, in insurance terms, means you would need to have critical illness cover in order to make a claim to help support you through the course of your disease. It can be worth looking into getting cover in case you become critically ill as this will not be covered by normal life insurance policies.

There are several famous Parkinson’s sufferers including Muhammad Ali and Michael J. Fox, the latter of whom is an activist in helping to find a cure and has even set up the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which funds research and trials.

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