Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. The underlying symptoms of Parkinson’s are treated with a range of medication, but currently none of these slow, stop or reverse the progression of the disease.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s are mainly caused by the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain which control movement. Low levels of dopamine affect how your body moves, making day-to-day activities such as eating, getting dressed or using everyday objects like a phone or computer difficult. The main symptoms of Parkinson’s are tremor, muscle stiffness and slowness of movement, but not everyone will experience all of these.

Parkinson’s can also cause a wide range of non-movement related symptoms including chronic pain, sleep disturbance, constipation and gut problems, memory concerns, anxiety and depression; all of which can significantly impact a person’s day-to-day life. 

Each individual diagnosed with Parkinson’s experiences different symptoms in different ways and to varying degrees. With a person’s own combination of symptoms and side-effects, it makes treating Parkinson’s difficult.

At Cure Parkinson’s, we are striving to find treatments that change the way the disease progresses, and transform the lives of everyone living with Parkinson’s. Thanks to major inroads and constant advances in our understanding of the condition, new efforts to match this emerging science with new treatments are now underway. Our work is to guide, promote and sustain these efforts and ultimately to find a cure.

Around 153,000 people in the UK alone are living with Parkinson’s (that equates to around 1 person in every 350). This is expected to increase by approximately 18% by the year 2025 and is set to almost double by 2065. It is predicted that 1 person in 37 will receive a diagnosis of Parkinson’s during their lifetime.*

Cure Parkinson’s is committed to slowing, stopping and even reversing the condition with the ultimate aim of restoring quality of life.

If you are worried about health problems that you think might be Parkinson’s, make an appointment to discuss your concerns with your family GP.

[*The Incidence and Prevalence of Parkinson’s in the UK. Results from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Reference Report (published Dec 2017) – Parkinson’s UK]

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