According to Medtronic, a medical technology firm based in the United States, this affliction is not concentrated to one ethnic group alone. It affects Caucasians as well as Asians and can hit both men and women in as early as 30 years old.

Fact is, Parkinson’s disease is listed as one of two of the most dreaded neurodegenerative disorders in the world today (the other one is Alzheimer’s). Its causes remain unknown and its cure is still to be discovered. It adversely affects the movement of people suffering from it, that their lifestyles are devastated.

In a nutshell, Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressive disorder that affects movement, muscle control, and balance. Its characteristic symptoms include involuntary trembling of the limbs, stiffness and rigidity of muscles, difficulty in balance, and bending or flexion of the body that cause disturbances in gait.

Experts say that it is often difficult to identify when the early signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease occur. They acknowledge that while most people may recall when they had their first tremor, they could not remember when the subtle signs of the disease first appeared.

Doctors advise patients to take note of the following: change in facial expression (which include staring or not blinking), inability to swing one arm when walking, a stooped posture, a "frozen" painful shoulder, limping or dragging one leg, numbness and aching in the neck or limbs, softness of the voice, and internal trembling.

Other signs that one must look out for are: depression (caused by chemical changes in the brain), dizzy spells and fainting (caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure), excessive sweating, and cramps and burning sensations in the legs.

According to Medtronic, the appearance of the major symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is due to abnormalities in the substantia nigra, a nucleus deep within the brain.

In Parkinson’s Disease, cells in this structure die and stop producing dopamine, a chemical essential for controlling normal movement and muscle function. Loss of dopamine negatively affects the nerves and muscles controlling movement and coordination, which then result in the major symptoms characteristics of Parkinson’s Disease.

There are currently two available control therapies for Parkinson’s. While they do not cure, they produce benefits for those who suffer the disorder.

One is through medication. Levodopa or L-dopa which has been used for years is converted to dopamine to augment the failing levels of the chemical in the brain.

Then there’s the Activa System Parkinson’s Control Therapy. This is a deep brain stimulation technique that involves the positioning of electrodes in the brain to suppress Parkinson’s symptoms like tremor, rigidity, slowness or lack of movement, and poor balance. This procedure is currently available in the country through Philippine Movement Disorder Surgery Center at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

While Parkinson’s disease is not fatal, it may lead to severe incapacity, which would then result in a drastic change in lifestyle for both the disease sufferer and his or her family.

Studies likewise show that at least 40 percent of Parkinson’s patients suffer from depression, which in itself can have a significant impact on daily life.