According to statistics, Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects more people in the United States than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) combined. This disease affects up to 1 million people across the country.
According to statistics, Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects more people in the United States than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) combined. This disease affects up to 1 million people across the country.
Each year, doctors diagnose as many as 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s. It affects 50% more men than women, with the average age of onset at 60. It has also been found that 15% to 25% of people with Parkinson’s have a family member with the disease.
Misdiagnosis of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is a difficult disease to diagnose, especially when it is at the early stages when the symptoms are still mild. The easily overlooked and non-specific nature of the signs of PD makes it tough to detect. Additionally, unlike many other illnesses, there is no one radiological exam or lab test that will provide a definite diagnosis of PD.
Because there are no clear-cut symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, it is easy to mistake them for other illnesses or conditions or classify them as PD symptoms when they are not. There are quite a few conditions that get misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s because of the similarity of symptoms. Here is a look at 10 of the conditions that are most commonly mistaken for PD:
- Multiple System Atrophy (Shy-Drager Syndrome)
- Supranuclear Palsy
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Benign Essential Tremor (familial tremor)
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Striato-Nigral Degeneration
- Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
- Wilson’s disease
- Pseudobulbar Palsy
- Hallervorden Spatz Disease
The symptoms of Parkinson especially in the early stages, tend to be similar to the symptoms experienced by the patient in more than one way. Often patients also are unable to articulate the symptoms correctly, which can make the diagnosis even harder.
How Misdiagnosing PD becomes Medical Malpractice
To diagnose Parkinson’s, a neurologist should take note of your complete medical history as well as the PD history in your family. Thorough physical examinations also need to be conducted so that other disorders with similar symptoms can be ruled out and zero down on PD.
Your doctor will also need to record your current course of medication, history of spinal or head trauma or allergies. It may be necessary to get neurological tests to examine your ability to move, walk, balance, coordinate and complete other motor tasks that require you to use your limbs.
When these examinations and tests are performed and your doctor misdiagnoses Parkinson’s disease, it can constitute medical malpractice. This not only exposes you to unnecessary medication and treatment that is not required for your condition, but also makes your condition progress further and makes it less practical to manage the PD’s advancement.
If you or a loved has been misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease due to your physician’s negligence, you should reach out to a qualified and experienced medical malpractice attorney at Rosenberg, Minc, Falloff, & Wolff Law (RMFW Law) firm at 212-344-1000. You can find out to file a medical malpractice claim against the negligent medical professional.
The first consultation is free! Call RMFW Law today! What is your side of the story? What do you have to say? What happened according to you? We know how to win cases. We know medical malpractice laws very well.
