Parkinson's? - What is this exactly?

Most people still don't know what to do with the term Parkinson's. Hardly anyone knows which symptoms often make life very difficult for those affected. And if someone ever associates Parkinson's with a symptom, it's most likely tremor. Newly diagnosed people in particular often have major problems understanding their symptoms or their diagnosis in line with what they have learned about Parkinson's.

Dysphagia caused by neurological diseases

Dysphagia caused by neurological diseases

Swallowing disorders can be caused by various neurological diseases, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, myasthenia gravis and muscle disorders. These disorders can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia or malnutrition and severely affect the quality of life of those affected and their families.

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The Parkinson Journal is a unique collection of information about Parkinson's disease. With over 1200 articles (texts, videos or podcasts), written or produced by well-known authors or those affected themselves, it has become a companion for many affected people, their relatives and those seeking advice over the years. 

Freezing – when suddenly nothing works anymore

Freezing is a phenomenon that occurs in Parkinson's disease and causes a gait disorder. It is also known as "freezing" because it makes sufferers feel as if their feet are glued to the ground. About three quarters of patients with the typical form of Parkinson's disease, idiopathic Parkinson's syndrome, are affected by freezing. The disease leads to the death of certain nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical that is important for controlling movement.

Microgarafia - the unknown symptom

Micrographa is a symptom of handwriting becoming smaller and more cramped. It can be an early warning sign of Parkinson's1. The words are closer together and the letters are smaller. Micrograph may also be an early symptom, preceding other motor parkinsonian symptoms by three to four years2. One study found that micrographs are present in almost half of all Parkinson's patients.

But what does micrography have to do with Parkinson's? Parkinson's is a disease that affects the nervous system and impairs the production of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that is important in controlling movement. When there is a lack of dopamine, movements become slower, stiffer and more uncontrolled. This also affects the fine motor skills and hand functions required for writing4.

Neuro-centered training in everyday life: topic eyes

The influence of your eyes

The eyes are the gateway to the world and an important part of our body. They are an essential factor in how we perceive our surroundings and also affect our body in different ways. The influence is often underestimated. That is why we will deal with the topic in more detail in this newsletter and give tips on how we can take care of our eyes in everyday life and use their influence on our body in a positive way.

Back pain in everyday life: topic job

What we know about pain

Pain is multidimensional. This means that different factors play a role in the development of pain.
Why are we in pain?
They are a warning signal from our body. Or much more an action signal from our body. He tells us that our threat level has been exceeded and asks us to change something.
This can be a change of position, for example, if we have stayed in one position for a long time. This can be pulling your hand away from a hot object.
This is because the individual threat level has been exceeded. When the brain receives too much threatening information, it triggers a pain response. For this purpose, information from different areas is evaluated, from our environment, from inside the body, from our body parts and is connected with our experiences, adventures, emotions, fears and expectations. The brain interprets all this data individually and decides whether there is a threat or not. It is only when this happens that a pain response is sent from the brain.

cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease

James Parkinson wrongly believed that the disease had no effect on the mind and psyche of those affected.
That was a fatal misjudgment, since new scientific studies have shown that every third Parkinson's patient develops dementia in the course of the disease.

However, this so-called Parkinson's dementia usually only occurs in the late stages of the disease and thus mainly, but not exclusively, affects patients of advanced age

But what actually is dementia?

dr Heimann explains – eBook version

Dr. med. Johannes Heimann was a gynecologist and obstetrician during his career and has been diagnosed with Parkinson's for several years. In various Parkinson's forums he goes deeply, often also humorously, into the numerous questions of the members and regularly hits the nerve of the community with his language and choice of topics.

In “Heimann clarifies” we want to push the boundaries of the forums and make his postings accessible to a broader public.

atypical parkinsonian syndromes

But this chapter is about the so-called

• Atypical Parkinson's syndromes (e.g. Lewy body dementia, MSA = multiple system atrophy, CBD = corticobasal degeneration, PSP = progressive supranuclear palsy)
• Parkinson's symptoms as side effects of medication
• Diseases triggered by metabolic disorders (eg Wilson's disease).
• by arteriosclerosis and many small strokes or
• repeated head injuries (Muhammad Ali!)

The diseases that are triggered are of a completely different nature