About Upbeat PD
Jane was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2021 and has established Upbeat PD as a charity to raise funds for research into Parkinson’s. Imagine not being able to control your movements or finding it difficult to move. Approximately 166,000 people have PD in the UK. Numbers are forecast to more than double over the next 25 years. We will see unprecented increases in the diagnosis of the condition. Some call it the quiet pandemic. It can happen to anyone. We need to change the course of PD.
She decided to centre the fundraising project around music and how it can be a wonderful form of therapy, “music has helped me cope with my anxiety, stress and energy levels without a doubt”. Needless to say, I rely on my drugs for my ability to function but music brings moments of welome relief.”
Parkinson’s - The Diagnosis
There is no cure for Parkinson’s.
Symptoms may begin with a stiff shoulder or illegible handwriting but there are many other symptoms.
It is due to a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra that regulates the movement of the body.
By the time symptoms are present, an estimated 60-80% of dopamine has been depleted or lost.
It’s a degenerative neurological condition so will get worse over time.
Symptoms
There are over 40 symptoms including; rigidity (muscle stiffness), bradykinesia (slowness of movement) dystonia (sustained or repetitive muscle contractions), a tremor, walking problems, shuffling, freezing gait, problems with balance and co-ordination. Apathy, cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, hallucinations, delusions, insomnia, loss of smell, difficulty swallowing and pain. Each individual has a unique combination of symptoms.
Causes
In most cases the cause is unknown.
A combination of genetics, lifestyle and exposure to environmental conditions mean that some people are more likely to develop Parkinson’s.
While genetics play a small role there is much more speculation on environmental factors such as exposure to air pollution, the use of pesticides in farming and chemicals used in industry.
Treatment
Levodopa, first used in the 1960’s, is one of the main types of drugs used to treat Parkinson’s which converts into dopamine in the brain.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure that uses implanted electrodes and electrical stimulation to treat movement disorders associated with Parkinson's Disease (PD), essential tremor and dystonia.
A disease modifying treatment has yet to be discovered, however, a personal multi-disciplinary approach with exercise, a mediterranean diet, good sleep, good hydration, low stress and medication all contribute to help manage the condition.
