Common terms related to Parkinson's Disease

Today we we will discuss some common terms related to Parkinson's Disease to make information more accessible for people with the condition to understand.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list...and it is important to note that not all people with Parkinson's Disease experience these symptoms.

Jargon-heavy terminology is often shared during consultations and medical appointments and this can be daunting, overwhelming and confusing.

We hope that by sharing the meaning behind frequently used terms, this will enable people with the condition to feel more knowledgeable - and knowledge gives one a sense of power and control.

Below is a list of terms that you may see in your therapeutic reports or hear from your medical health professionals -

NEURODEGENERATIVE - "Neuron" is anything related to the brain and "degenerative" means a worsening of symptoms over time. Parkinson's Disease is neurodegenerative, as are other conditions such as Motor Neuron's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.

BRADYKINESEA - Slowness of movement

DOPAMINE - a neurotransmitter that is responsible for delivering messages from the brain to the body to enable movement. For people with Parkinson's Disease, there is a lack of Dopamine. That deficit, they say, comes from a disorder of nerve cells in the part of the brain that produces the chemical. However, dopamine isn't the only neurotransmitter affected in Parkinson's disease.

DYSARTHRIA - a speech disorder that results in speech symptoms such as slurred speech, fast speech.

DYSKINESIA - uncontrolled, involuntary body movements. This can be experienced in one area of the body or in multiple body parts.

DYSPHAGIA - a swallowing disorder that may occur when eating, drinking, taking medication or saliva.

FREEZING - the sensation of feeling "stuck" when initiating a movement

FESTINATION - an involuntary gait in which stride length is shortened and steps become progressively more rapid.

DX - Diagnosis

GAIT - a person's manner of walking

TX - therapy

H/O - "history of"

PNA - "pneumonia". An infection in one or both lungs. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi cause it.

IDIOPATHIC - Of unknown cause. Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin may be termed idiopathic.