New interest in an old disease?

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: New interest in an "old " disease ?

Parkinson is an old disease since eighteen century. Why parkinson's disease is still a subject to discuss? Why a sudden surge of interest and publicity in the world_________________to help the PD patients aware the diseases and encourage to set up support groups to educate the patients and their immediate families
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Rogerstar1Joined: 14 Mar 2007Posts: 209
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:42 pm Post subject:

I'd say U.S. capitalism and free markets; Maturing post World War Two baby boom generation witnessing malaise in parents and falling victim to it themselves creates pressure for a cure. Human will to survive Scientific advances. In Malasia are the poor treated for parkinsons adequetely? ever the impoverished? thanks. Rgerstar
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Joe or BobJoined: 12 Aug 2007Posts: 103
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:46 am Post subject: Re: New interest in an "old " disease ?

teokimhoe wrote:
Parkinson is an old disease since eighteen century. Why parkinson's disease is still a subject to discuss? Why a sudden surge of interest and publicity in the worldThere are references to Parkinson's Disease throughout history - Shakespeare, Da Vinci, the ancient Romans, the ancient Greeks. It was being treated in India over 5000 years ago. However, Parkinson's Disease is now worth two billion dollars a year. Where there's money there's interest.There are a lot of people benefitting from it - except the patients of course !
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wheelersceJoined: 02 Mar 2007Posts: 296Location: MI
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:39 am Post subject:

Joe or Bob, I refuse to succumb to the total skeptism that patients are not benefitting from the current interest in PD. Maybe you were joking. I know I benefit from meds, and I can't think that the NIH's PD allotment of $200million per year (for instance) is spent only for crass monetary gain. But I find your reference to history extremely interesting. What therapies were available to the ancient Indians? Teokimhoe, I agree with Roger, plus I would add that modern communication technologies (like these forums!) make a continuing, vibrant discussion of a very old problem possible. In the old days we would have most likely suffered alone in our houses and died early and untreated. Sue W.
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Joe or BobJoined: 12 Aug 2007Posts: 103
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject:

There is more detail concerning the history of Parkinson's Disease here : http://viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/history.htm More detail will be added in the coming months. By nothing benefitting the patients, I meant nothing long term. All drugs are short term solutions. They lessen the symptoms at first, but eventually make the problem worse. All of the pharmaceutical companies added together have never cured a single person with Parkinson's Disease, yet they still make two billion dollars a year out of Parkinson's Disease. There's something very wrong there.
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GautamJoined: 01 Mar 2007Posts: 52Location: Goa, India
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:17 pm Post subject:

Sue, PD was known as 'Kampvat' in Ayurveda, the Ancient Indian medical system. Sage Patanjali, the Indian Physician who wrote his treatise on Ayurveda around 3000 years back recorded the symptoms of PD, including the after effects of medication over dosage! And the medication recommended by Patanjali? Mucuna Puriens! It might be of interest to know that the first Plastic Surgery was carried out by Sushruta around 300BC. regards Gautam
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wheelersceJoined: 02 Mar 2007Posts: 296Location: MI
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:26 am Post subject:

Gautam and Joe-or-Bob, I think medical history is incredibly interesting--thanks for your info. Gautam, I did a bit of research on the history of plastic surgery some years ago. My oldest daughter had several operations because of a bilateral cleft lip and palate. My goal was to write a paper interesting and accessible enough to gain publication in a childrens magazine. My modest effort, "The Path of the Missing Nose," was eventually published in the special interest magazine _Wide Smiles_. Sue W.
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