Editors Note: Lucia was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2002. She would like to take this opportunity to share the fact that April is Parkinson's disease awareness month.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.
In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time.
Although Parkinson's disease can't be cured, medications might significantly improve your symptoms. Occasionally, your doctor may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of your brain and improve your symptoms.
- 10 million people worldwide are living with PD
- one million people will be living with Parkinson's disease (PD) in the U.S. (more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
- 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD each year. 15,000 n Wisconsin living with PD 4% (2,400) of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50.
- $52 billion, per year in the United States alone is the is estimated combined direct and indirect cost of Parkinson’s, including treatment, social security payments and lost income Medications alone cost an average of $2,500 a year Therapeutic surgery can cost up to $100,000 per person.