One of the hallmark features of Parkinson’s disease is tremors. Tremors are one of the motor symptoms of the condition, which can be improved with a course of medication. Dyskinesia, on the other hand, is different. It tends to manifest in the later stage of the disease due to the long-term side effects of medications that are used to treat Parkinson’s. Due to this, in some cases, it can be a little difficult to distinguish between dyskinesia and tremors.

Generally, people suffering from Parkinson’s mostly experience the tremors when their hands when they are supported by the body against gravity or when at rest. However, the tremor improves if the hands are in motion.

1. How to distinguish between Parkinson’s, dyskinesia, and tremors?
In the case of tremors caused by Parkinson’s, they are generally suppressible with activity and movement, while dyskinesia is not. The primary difference is that the tremor is a rhythmic, especially around a single joint. In dyskinesia, on the other hand, the movement is not just involuntary, it is also generally disordered.

2. How medications for Parkinson’s cause dyskinesia
Medical research has not been able to understand why certain medications cause dyskinesia in people suffering from Parkinson’s. There is a constant stimulation with dopamine under normal conditions. However, in this disease, the dopamine signal is lesser. Therefore, the medications for this condition intends to replace or replicate that signal in an artificial manner. As a result, what is thought to be responsible for the medication-induced dyskinesia are the up-and-down pulses of dopamine signals. The hallmarks of medication-induced dyskinesia are that they occur with prolonged medical treatment. The longer a person has been suffering from the condition and the longer they have been consuming the medication, the higher the chances of them developing dyskinesia. Moreover, excitement, stress, and the degree of relaxation affect how severe Parkinson’s tremor is.

3. Management of medication-induced dyskinesia
This can be challenging. The first method is to reduce the dosage of medication that is being taken, especially levodopa. However, this could also lead to a relapse in the side effects caused by Parkinson’s, like tremors. There have been some breakthroughs that provide newer methods and formulations to enable a more systematic release of dopamine medication, thereby decreasing the symptoms of dyskinesia. Some examples of these methods are direct intestinal infusions and sustained-release formulations. Additionally, certain medications show promise in reducing the instances of dyskinesia. These are opicapone and safinamide. A more effective approach may be surgery, like deep brain stimulation (DBS), which can reduce symptoms.

4. Effects of Parkinson’s, dyskinesia, and tremors
The tremors of the disease may not be very serious and only cause slight to moderate jerky movements. However, dyskinesia can hamper common activities like drinking, eating, and walking. You should note that dyskinesia is not a sign of underlying danger; it merely indicates how the disease is progressing. Dyskinesia may also indicate how the patient is likely to become less responsive to normal medications for the condition