On April 11, World Parkinson’s Day invites us to look beyond the visible tremor to understand a condition that is as much about silence as it is about movement.
Parkinson’s disease is often reduced to a shaking hand. But for the nearly 10 million people living with it globally, the reality is far more complex. It is a slow reshaping of the body and mind where stiffness replaces fluidity, where balance falters, and where even facial expressions begin to fade, locking emotions behind an unresponsive mask.
In India, the burden is quietly rising. With increasing life expectancy and greater awareness, more cases are being diagnosed, yet stigma, delayed intervention, and limited access to specialised care continue to define the patient journey. Many still dismiss early signs, such as a slight slowing down, a softening of voice, a change in handwriting, as part of “normal ageing,” losing crucial time in the process.
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What makes Parkinson’s particularly challenging, say doctors, is that its symptoms are not just motor. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and cognitive decline often shadow the disease, sometimes appearing years before the first tremor. For patients and caregivers alike, this dual burden, that is, physical and psychological, can be overwhelming.
Dr Paresh Doshi, a leading neurosurgeon with patients both in India and abroad, said that earlier there was a “bucket treatment”, but with better disease management, expectations of outcomes became more ambitious and sophisticated.
“Initially, we would be okay if the tremors were controlled, but now we are in a position where patients expect to be able to play golf and badminton,” said Doshi, director of neurosurgery and stereotactic and functional neurosurgical programme at Jaslok Hospital. “Also, now, we know and understand that each patient’s requirement of treatment is different, depending on their type of non-motor symptoms. No one size will fit all," he adds.
Advances in treatment, from refined drug therapies to deep brain stimulation and robot-assisted interventions, are helping patients reclaim control over their bodies.
Rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and speech therapy are no longer adjuncts but central pillars of care. And increasingly, there is recognition that managing Parkinson’s is not just about prolonging life, but preserving dignity and independence.
Equally important is the shift in mindset. Early consultation, sustained therapy, and community support can significantly alter the course of the disease. Parkinson’s is not curable, but it is manageable, especially when addressed early and holistically, say doctors.
For caregivers, who often become silent partners in this journey, support systems remain critical. The emotional toll of watching a loved one gradually lose autonomy is profound yet rarely acknowledged in public discourse.
World Parkinson’s Day, then, is not just about awareness. It is about reframing the disease from inevitability to intervention, from isolation to support, for neurologists. "Because Parkinson’s is not just a disorder of movement. It is a test of how we, as a society, respond to vulnerability," says Dr Sudheer Ambekar, practising at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. And in that response lies the difference between merely living with Parkinson’s and living well despite it.