Parkinson’s disease: The hidden warning sign which lies in your toilet habit

Parkinson’s disease symptoms mainly relate to movement because the illness involves a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain responsible for producing a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine acts as a messenger between the parts of the brain and nervous system that help control and coordinate body movements. If these nerve cells die or become damaged, the amount of dopamine in the brain is reduced. This effect on one’s dopamine levels can often impact the bladder causing urinary problems which could be an early warning sign of the condition.

Experiencing urinary frequency and urinary urgency could be potential early signs of the condition.

Urinary problems experienced may be worse at night, when a person is lying flat.

There may also be problems with initiating a urine stream, slowness of urination, and overfill of the bladder.

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may experience bladder problems, said Parkinson’s Foundation.

The health site continued: “The most common difficulty is a frequent and urgent need to urinate, even when the bladder is not full.

“If this occurs, talk to your doctor to determine that this problem is not due to a bladder or urinary infection or another medical issue.

“If it is not, there are many medications that can help this problem.”

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Why urinary problems may occur in Parkinson’s disease

For those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, the bladder can be affected due to fluctuations in the dopamine levels.

This in turn affects the bladder muscles and nerves and will impact how it functions.

Parkinson’s disease is also thought to impact the nerve pathway located between the bladder and the area of the brain which controls bladder function.

Neurogenic bladder

Cleveland Clinic explained what the disorder is and said: “Neurogenic bladder is a condition in which problems with the nervous system affect the bladder and urination.

“Conditions like stroke and Parkinson’s disease can result in neurogenic bladder.

“Treatment options include drug therapy and surgery.”

For a person suffering from bladder and urinary issues caused by Parkinson’s disease, it’s important not to cut down on the amount of fluids drank.

Cutting down on your fluid intake won’t help with bladder problems and might leave a person dehydrated.

However, cutting down on caffeine is said to be beneficial as this can often make bladder symptoms worse.

Trying to maintain a healthy weight by eating a balanced diet and avoiding stress incontinence will also be beneficial.

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