02 Jul How Do Tremor And Parkinson’s Disease Differ?
Both tremor and Parkinson’s disease are neurological disorders involving involuntary shaking of different parts of the body due to functional defects in the nervous system. In both the cases, the brain fails to send signals to the nerves to control the movement of muscles. This causes involuntary movements of the limbs, and probably the face and jaws too, resulting in frustration and embarrassment for patients. In spite of being so similar in symptoms, both tremor and Parkinson’s disease differ and have different treatments. As a layman, you may or may not be able to differentiate between the two, which is why it is always recommended to consult a movement disorders specialist who can diagnose the particular problem and provide appropriate treatment for the same. Dr. Shivam Mittal is one such specialist who has immense skill, knowledge, and experience to diagnose and treat any movement disorder. In fact, he is the most renowned doctor one seeks for a Parkinson’s disease and tremor treatment in UAE.
How is tremor or Parkinson’s identified?
Now you may wonder that when the two disorders are so similar, and there is no definitive physical test that can tell one from the other, how doctors identify which movement disorder it is from the two.
- First and foremost, the doctor would enquire all about the patient’s medical history, including any past or current medications. Another enquiry will be about the family history. Then, the physical symptoms will be closely observed, including shaking, facial expression, walking, and balance. Also, muscle rigidity will be checked for. Reflexes are tested, and motor coordination is observed. Also, patients are made to write a piece of paragraph.
- Once all of the above checks have been made, the doctor may execute SPECT, a new type of CT scan that detects the level of dopamine uptake in the brain, which is a neurotransmitter responsible to send signals from the brain to the muscles for movement. If the brain cells seem to longer function, the case is probably that of Parkinson’s, and not tremor.
From all the above checks, it can be easily identified whether the ailment is tremor or Parkinson’s, because there a few slight differences between both.
Tremor – Patients suffering from tremor have problems with only balance and shaking of the hands, head, and voice; with symptoms being only of high and fast frequency. Tremor affects both sides of the body. There is a family history of tremor in more than 50% of the cases. Tremor patients have large and tremulous handwriting.
Parkinson’s disease – Patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease have problems of balance and shaking, along with slowness in movement and rigidity of the muscles. The disease affects the hands, legs, and jaws; but rarely the head and voice, with symptoms being of low and slow frequency. Parkinson’s disease starts with one side of the body, and then progresses to the other side. There is rarely any family history in the case of Parkinson’s. The patients suffering from Parkinson’s have a smaller and slower writing.
Why is an early diagnosis recommended?
As soon as you identify any symptoms of shaking or involuntary movement within your body, it is recommended to immediately consult a specialist because an early diagnosis can reduce problems and further growth of the issue. Also, the diagnosis must be done by not any doctor, physician, or neurosurgeon; but rather a movement disorder specialist who has the expertise to offer a different treatment approach for both tremor and Parkinson’s. Different inventions have different results in both tremor and Parkinson’s patients in regards to symptoms progression, and quality of life. So, whenever you notice any kind of consistent and involuntary shaking in your hands, legs, or head, you must immediately seek assistance to get the finest Parkinson’s disease or tremor treatment in UAE, whatever you are diagnosed with.
