10 Unusual Facts About Parkinson’s Disease You Never Knew About
Nov.17, 2015
The unfortunate revelation that the late Robin Williams may have committed suicide due to a diagnosis of the neurological disease Parkinson’s has created an uptick in interest in finding out all about the dreaded condition. Here are 10 facts you have likely never heard of before.
10. Adolf Hitler Had Parkinson’s Disease
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The German tyrant and dictator suffered from Parkinson’s, but it was well hidden from the general public in photographs, films and propaganda.
I daresay I’m not the only one who thinks it’s too bad the disease didn’t strike him down and dead BEFORE he began his reign of terror and Holocaust against any group of people he didn’t deem fit to live.
9. Parkinson’s Costs More Than You Think
Between treatments, preventative measures, lost income and wages amongst other money-eating problems, Parkinson’s Disease costs victims ,000 a year.
The combined direct and indirect cost of Parkinson’s, including treatment, social security payments and lost income from inability to work, is estimated to be nearly $25 billion per year in the United States alone.
*Medication costs for an individual person with PD average $2,500 a year, and therapeutic surgery can cost up to $100,000 dollars per patient.*
(* Per Parkinson's Disease Foundation)
Of course, such treatments wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg if the government wasn’t beholden to the special interests and insurance companies that put profit over proper health coverage. Until that day, we plebeians find our wallets and bank accounts drained.
8. Please Don’t Pass the Batwing Casserole
A strange but incredibly true fact is that many who reside in Guam that love to dine on bats for dinner have developed Parkinson’s Disease. Apparently bats dine on plants and animals that contribute to a heavy buildup of neurotoxins that wreak havoc on whoever eats them.
So, the Addams Family and the Munsters may want to rethink their menu sometime soon.
7. Woody Allen was right?
In his comedy smash Sleeper, Woody Allen made a joke that high cholesterol diets and vices such as smoking and drinking were actually good for the human body. Research claims that a person is less likely to get Parkinson’s if they smoke, drink too much coffee, have high cholesterol and drink booze.
Since I avoid all of the above, I guess my Parkinson’s-free life goal isn’t looking too good.
6. Poison is Used to Treat the Disease
That’s right, a poisonous plant is used for Parkinson’s medication. Nightshade, a plant so lethal that a mere bite of a leaf can kill a normal sized human, is the basic ingredient of known Parkinson’s meds.
I can hear this being used as an excuse in a murder trial: “Your honor, my client wasn’t trying to poison his wife. He realized she had early signs of Parkinson’s disease and was just trying to treat her with a homeopathic plant!”
5. One Battle of the Sexes Men Wish They Weren’t Winning
Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s than women are.
I’m pretty sure even the most repulsive, obnoxious and stubborn male chauvinist on earth wouldn’t do a victory lap over this one.
4. There is no known cause
There is no one thing that causes Parkinson’s. So far, research has determined that such variables as environmental factors, viral infections and drug abuse are amongst the various things that can set off the disease.
Unfortunately, we are no closer to figuring out a root cause now than we were a century ago. Just where is that research money going?
3. Even children can get Parkinson’s
The youngest known person ever diagnosed was a three-year-old boy in 1875. Currently, the youngest living person diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease was 12 years old.
So if you’re a teacher who notices a young student trembling and moving oddly, don’t assume they are merely goofing off for attention. He or she just may be one of the few children with this disease.
2. There is no definitive test to diagnose it
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There is no blood test or lab procedure to diagnose it. Currently, one has to rely on a doctor’s evaluation of your symptoms and a series of motor skill tests. Our governments can’t find the money to fund development of a definitive diagnostic test, yet they seem to find enough money to pay for their golf outings, parties, perks and fancy receptions.
1. The disease truly doesn’t discriminate
It doesn’t matter what your race, creed, earning status or gender is. Parkinson’s Disease doesn’t discriminate as to who it afflicts itself upon.
Think about that one next time you’re feeling entitled and invincible while reading about another person’s misfortunes. It’s a most sobering feeling.
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