Reviewed personally by Dr. Sunkara · Written for Parkinson's & Movement Disorders · Updated September 2026
Quick Answer
Parkinson's disease is a progressive brain condition in which the nerve cells that make dopamine, a chemical that helps control movement, slowly stop working. It usually begins after 60 and causes tremor, stiffness and slower movement. It isn't curable yet, but medication keeps symptoms well controlled for many people, often for years.
Deep inside the brain, a small region called the substantia nigra sends dopamine to the circuits that start and smooth out movement. In Parkinson's, those cells are lost gradually, and here's the surprising part: symptoms usually don't show until a large share of them is already gone. That's why the condition often feels as though it arrived overnight, when it's actually been building quietly for years. The brain compensates well, right up until it can't.
Most people are diagnosed after 60, and men are affected slightly more often than women. Many patients arrive expecting to hear about surgery straight away. Most don't need it, at least not early. Not every problem needs a surgery, and for most people with Parkinson's, the right medication comes first.
Several conditions share shaking or stiffness, so your doctor's notes may name any of these. The Parkinson's vs essential tremor question comes up most, and the answer changes which medicines actually help.
The condition changes slowly, over months and years, so new or worsening symptoms can almost always wait for a planned appointment. What matters more than how bad the shaking looks is how fast things change. Sudden changes often point to something else and need same-day care.
Seek Immediate Care If You Also Have:
01
Diagnosis starts with when symptoms began and which side they started on, then a close check of tremor, stiffness, walking and simple repeated movements like finger tapping. No blood test confirms it.
02
When the picture isn't clear, a DaT scan (SPECT scan) shows how much dopamine activity remains. It helps separate Parkinson's from essential tremor, which leaves dopamine normal, while MRI rules out other causes.
03
A clear improvement on levodopa supports the diagnosis. If you respond well, that's also good news about treatment, because it shows your movement circuits can still use the dopamine medicine provides.
Treatment controls symptoms rather than stopping the condition. Most people do well on medication for years. Surgery is for the few whose symptoms outgrow it, and it's less daunting than most people expect.
The most effective medicine for Parkinson's movement symptoms, replacing the dopamine the brain can no longer make, often combined with other drugs.
A review of doses, timing and combinations when symptoms start wearing off before the next dose or involuntary movements appear.
Guided exercise, balance training and speech work that keep you moving and talking clearly, alongside medication at every stage.
Thin electrodes placed in a movement centre of the brain, connected to a chest device, to steady symptoms that medication no longer controls well.
How Deep Brain Stimulation Works →Yes, for most people, and often for many years. It can't be cured yet, but Parkinson's disease stages usually change over years rather than months. Many people keep working, travelling and living independently long after diagnosis. Control, not cure, is the honest goal.
Small daily habits make a real difference to how well medication and movement work.
MOVE EVERY DAY
Regular exercise such as walking, cycling or dancing helps balance, flexibility and mood, and it's one of the most useful things you can do.
TIME YOUR DOSES
Take medication at the same times each day, and keep protein-heavy meals away from levodopa doses, since protein can slow how well it's absorbed.
FALL-PROOF HOME
Remove loose rugs, add grab rails in the bathroom, and use night lights along the way to the toilet for safer night-time trips.
CARER SUPPORT
Family members who help day to day need rest and support too. A carer who's coping well makes a real difference at home.
Is this Parkinson's disease, or could it be another movement disorder?
Which stage am I at, and how quickly might it change?
Which medication would you start with, and what side effects should I expect?
How will we know when my medication needs adjusting?
At what point would deep brain stimulation be worth assessing for me?
A second opinion can confirm the diagnosis and check whether medication still has room to do more.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive brain condition caused by the gradual loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells that help control movement. It typically causes tremor, stiffness, slowness and balance problems, usually starting after 60.
Book a consultation with Dr. Sunkara to talk through your diagnosis and medication, or start with a second opinion if surgery has been suggested.
Written & reviewed by Dr. Raveesh Sunkara, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon & Spine Surgeon · Last updated September 2026 · Next review due March 2027