Sitting opposite a doctor and trying to listen as you are handed a Parkinson's Disease diagnosis is a life defining moment.

Even if your physical symptoms:

" Tremor/shaking
" Unsteadiness/problems with balance
" Uncoordinated movements/clumsiness
" Impaired walking ability
" Muscle rigidity

had aroused suspicions within you, it is still shocking to hear the words spoken out loud. Shock causes a kind of mental paralysis that can prevent you hearing and processing the words being spoken and you leave the consultation in confusion and distress.

Parkinson's Disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose, especially in the early stages and mis-diagnosis is not uncommon. The important thing is to learn as much as you can about the syndrome; the causes, the risks, the treatments and the things you can do for yourself. Having full information can reduce stress levels and this is important as high stress levels have been shown to increase the severity of the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.

New treatments for Parkinson's Disease are at the cutting edge of current research with experiments being conducted with stem cells and gene therapy. However, in the first instance you should not be surprised if no treatment is offered when you are diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Some doctors are reluctant to start medication for mild symptoms as the effectiveness of current prescription drugs has been shown to reduce over time and some also have associated side-effects. It is often the case that medication is not commenced until the symptoms begin to severely impact daily life.

It is true that, at the moment, there is no cure for Parkinson's Disease but this is not a cause for despair. There is an enormous amount individuals can do for themselves to supplement drug treatments by making adjustments to diet and lifestyle; symptoms can be minimised and controlled for many years and research is uncovering more possibilities on an almost daily basis.