Find Real Answers at the Parkinson’s Foundation
This April, during Parkinson’s Awareness Month, the Parkinson’s Foundation is helping people find real answers to the questions that accompany living with the complex realties of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
As part of its Find Real Answers campaign, the Foundation is connecting people to trusted information, amplifying real-life PD experiences and providing tools to help people live better with PD.
For Awareness Month, the Foundation launched its new Find Real Answers Quiz. Take the quiz today, then share it on social media to help raise PD awareness. Or print it out to make it a group activity at your next dinner or exercise class.
Take the Quiz Now!
To help connect more people to information about Parkinson’s, here are some of the top questions and answers:
What are the early signs of Parkinson’s?
Early signs of Parkinson’s can be subtle. While movement symptoms like tremors, stiffness and trouble with balance are the most noticeable, early signs also include a change in handwriting, loss of smell, trouble sleeping and vertigo. Learn all 10 early signs of PD.
What should you do after noticing early signs?
No single early symptom means you have Parkinson’s. If you have several symptoms, consider seeing your primary doctor, then asking for a referral to a neurologist, or ideally, a movement disorders specialist (a specialized neurologist) who will most likely perform in-office tests that can lead to a diagnosis.
Does Parkinson’s only affect movement, like tremors and balance?
Parkinson’s is called a movement disorder because of the tremors, slowing and stiffening it can cause, which are the most visible symptoms of the disease. However, Parkinson’s affects many systems in the body.
Non-movement symptoms (the symptoms you cannot see) are common and often affect everyday life. These include sleep disorders, cognitive symptoms, constipation, anxiety, depression, bladder symptoms, sexual dysfunction, fatigue and more.
Is Parkinson’s genetic?
About 10–15% of people with Parkinson’s have a genetic link to the disease. Scientists believe Parkinson’s is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
To better understand these links, the PD GENEration: Powered by the Parkinson’s Foundation study offers genetic testing and counseling at no cost to people with a confirmed PD diagnosis. Learn more and enroll at Parkinson.org/PDGeneration.
How do you manage Parkinson’s symptoms?
Treatment often includes medications and therapies specific to a person’s needs and most bothersome symptoms. The most common medication for Parkinson’s is called Levodopa, which is the most effective treatment for movement symptoms as it converts to dopamine in the brain. Treatments also include things that you do yourself such as exercise and rehabilitative therapies, such as physical or speech therapy.
Is there a cure for Parkinson’s?
While there is no cure for Parkinson’s, treatments can effectively manage symptoms.
Can exercise help with Parkinson’s symptoms?
Yes. For those with Parkinson’s, exercise is a vital component to maintaining balance, mobility and activities of daily living. Research shows that people with PD who start exercising earlier in their disease course for a minimum of 2.5 hours per week experience a slowed decline in quality of life compared to those who start later. However, it is never too late to exercise.
Find nearby exercise classes and support groups through your nearest Parkinson’s Foundation Chapter.
How can someone help make life better for people with Parkinson’s?
Supporting people with Parkinson’s can include sharing information, fundraising for a PD-related non-profit or connecting with Foundation resources. Learn more at Parkinson.org/Awareness.
Visit Parkinson.org/Awareness to help raise Parkinson's awareness right now.
The Parkinson’s Foundation is here for you! Here are three ways to find real answers to your PD questions:
1. For immediate answers based on Parkinson’s Foundation information and articles, try the all-new AI-powered chat tool, “Ask PAM” at Parkinson.org.
2. Call the Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) to speak with an information specialist for personalized answers.
3. Sign up for Parkinson’s Foundation emails to stay up to date. Visit Parkinson.org/Subscribe.
The Parkinson’s Foundation is a Champion Partner of the World Parkinson Coalition®. They helped to launch the Coalition in 2004 and have been generously housing the WPC for more than 20 years.
Ideas and opinions expressed in this post reflect that of the author(s) solely. They do not reflect the opinions or positions of the World Parkinson Coalition®