Parkinson’s Disease

Intro

Parkinson’s disease is a condition affecting the nervous system whereby the motor function is affected due to the loss of brain cells responsible for producing dopamine. Research indicates that the cells may deteriorate due to stress, dysfunctional cells, and inflammation. Dopamine is the chemical responsible for sensations, emotions, and most importantly, movement. Loss of the chemical results in the loss of muscle control. This affects movement. The common signs of this condition are tremors, rigidity, and slow speech. These are the most visible and noticeable signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Research indicates that the disease is had to diagnosis. This is due to the fact the condition is related to multiple motor-related disorders. However, a neurologist may diagnosis the condition if they specialize in motor-related disorders. Parkinson’s disease has no cure, but is manageable (Meara, & Koller, 2000). In fact, most people with the condition have a life span equal to those without. The problem is that it may lead to other complications such as choking, pneumonia, and injuries due to instability, which may be fatal.

What would make the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease easier is the presence of more than two major symptoms. In addition, if the symptoms originated from one side of the body, the clinical information would be more defined to code the condition. Diseases associated with motor-related complications and the nervous system would receive a similar code. As such, a coder may need to know whether the condition is of the nervous system, and whether it affects functions related to movement (Meara, & Koller, 2000).