Parkinson's

Parkinson’s disease can cause physical and mental symptoms that interfere with your quality of life. At The Relief Clinic in Long Beach and Saucier, Mississippi, family medicine specialist Philip Levin, MD, and the team can help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease with holistic remedies. Call The Relief Clinic today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about Parkinson’s disease.

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that damages the chemical messengers called neurons in your brain. The disease affects the entire nervous system, developing slowly. At first, you may notice a slight tremor or shake in one hand. However, the disease is progressive and eventually causes uncontrollable movements and muscle stiffness.

What are the signs of Parkinson’s disease?

Tremors, rigid movements, and slowed speech are early signs of Parkinson’s disease. As the disease progresses, it may cause:

• Small handwriting
• Slowed movement and blink rate
• Stooped posture
• Poor balance
• Difficulty swinging your arms when walking
• Soft or quiet speech

Parkinson’s disease symptoms often impact one side of the body before spreading to other areas. While the disease eventually affects the whole body, it’s typically worse on the initial side.

What causes Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease develops when specific neurons in the brain die, causing low dopamine production. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a critical role in learning, motivation, and your ability to feel pleasure.

While experts don’t know exactly why Parkinson’s disease occurs in some individuals and not others, they believe genetic, environmental factors, and the presence of protein inclusions called Lewy bodies may trigger its development. 

Common risk factors for Parkinson’s disease include:

• Being a male
• Long-term exposure to pesticides
• Having a close relative with the disease
• Being over age 60

While most people with Parkinson’s disease are middle-aged or older, the disorder can affect younger adults. If you’re relatively young with the disease, your provider may recommend genetic testing.

What are the treatments for Parkinson’s disease?

Because Parkinson’s disease is a chronic condition that affects the whole body, your provider at The Relief Clinic provides holistic care to minimize your symptoms and slow the disease’s progression. Treatments your provider may recommend include:

• Lifestyle adjustments
• Diet changes
• Physical or occupational therapy with a specialist 
• Medication
• Surgery

Medical marijuana has also been shown to reduce symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as  muscle rigidity, tremors, sleep problems, and chronic pain. As a medical marijuana provider, The Relief Clinic can help provide the relief you need.

Call The Relief Clinic today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about Parkinson’s disease.