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• Essential tremor. This is referred to as a familial tremor or benign essential tremor. The condition is a genetic and tends to run in families with a slow progression. It is important when talking with your neurologists to discuss family history. The tremors usually affect both hands increasing with movement. The head may also be affected but the lower limbs are not usually part of these tremors. This is not Parkinson’s and in most cases does not develop into Parkinson’s. The essential tremor isn’t treatable with PD medications. Talk with your neurologist as there are medications for treatment.
• Arteriosclerotic parkinsonism. This is sometimes referred to as pseudo parkinsonism, atherosclerotic parkinsonism or vascular parkinsonism which involves damage caused to the brain due to stokes. This is usually manifests itself with dementia as well as difficulties with walking. The medications usually associated with managing Parkinson’s are not of much help.
• Parkinsonism accompanying other conditions. There are other neurological disorders and have very defined symptoms as Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Wilson’s disease and Parkinsonian signs and symptoms may appear in these people. However each of these diseases has very distinct and specific symptoms differentiated from Parkinson’s.
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus. An increase in the brains ventricles or cavities of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that is not normal enlarging the ventricles applying undo pressure on the brain is normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). This affects motor skills as walking, feet feeling stuck, bladder and incontinence problems as well as mental impairment and dementia. Again talk with your neurologist as these symptoms can be confused with Parkinson’s and will not respond to Parkinson’s medications. Usually the tests like brain scans, monitoring of intracranial pressure will be important in a diagnosis of NPH. The treatment may require a CSF shunt into the abdomen to drain fluid.
• Post-traumatic parkinsonism. The common name for this is “punch-drunk syndrome” which usually occurs after a severe head injury; Muhammad Ali is the classic example. It is also known as post-traumatic encephalopathy
• Parkinsonism accompanying other conditions. There are other neurological disorders and have very defined symptoms as Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Wilson’s disease and Parkinsonian signs and symptoms may appear in these people. However each of these diseases has very distinct and specific symptoms differentiated from Parkinson’s.

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