According to a story from Parkinson’s News Today, April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. This year, special focus will be given to patients with the rare, early onset form of the disease. Parkinson’s is typically considered an ailment of the elderly, with diagnosis typically occurring in people over 60; however, for Christina Korines, her first symptoms appeared much earlier.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a type of long term, progressive, degenerative illness that affects the central nervous system. Symptoms tend to develop over a period of years and primarily affect the movement ability and mental state of the patient. The cause of Parkinson’s disease remains a mystery, although there are a number of risk factors that have been identified. These factors include head injuries, pesticide exposure, and certain genetic variants and mutations. About 15 percent of patients have a close relative with the disease, suggesting some genetic connection. Symptoms include slowed movements, poor coordination, trouble walking, shaking, stiffness, abnormal posture, depression, anxiety, inhibited thinking, hallucinations, and dementia. Treatment may involve a number of medications, rehabilitation, and surgical operations. Survival rate varies, but most patients survive around a decade after getting diagnosed. To learn more about Parkinson’s disease, click here.
Christina’s Story
Christina had her first Parkinson’s disease related-tremor when she was just 22 years old. There are around a million Americans that have the disease, but only about four percent of patients are diagnosed before age 50. After her first tremor, it didn’t take long for her entire leg and one of her arms to be affected, giving her a pronounced limp. For a long time, Christina lived with her progressively worsening condition undiagnosed. Doctors proposed a number of possibilities: Huntington’s disease, essential tremor, and generalized anxiety disorder were just some of the suggestions floated to her. It was only in 2017, ten years after her first symptoms, that Christina got her diagnosis.
Christina still struggles in the day to day management of both her physical and mental symptoms, but for the most part she is doing okay, partially thanks to assistance from the Parkinson’s Foundation. Christina’s story is just one of many patient stories featured on the organization’s website. The foundation is committed making the lives of Parkinson’s disease patients better and supporting critical research.
To learn more about the activities of the Parkinson’s Foundation, click here.
