Ozzy Osbourne has died, more than five years after revealing he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after spending 12 months in “constant” pain.
– What is Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition caused by the death of nerve cells in the brain that create the chemical dopamine.
– What are the symptoms?
People begin to develop symptoms of Parkinson’s when the brain is no longer able to make enough dopamine to adequately control movement.
The three main symptoms are tremor (shaking), slowness of movement and rigidity (muscle stiffness).
Subtle changes in a person’s walking pattern could be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease.
Some people develop very small handwriting, a loss in their sense of smell, nerve pain or insomnia.
Symptoms usually develop slowly over several years.
– Can it be treated?
There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Treatments include drugs such as levodopa, dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors.
Levodopa is absorbed by the nerve cells in the brain and turned into dopamine.
Increasing the levels of dopamine in this way usually cuts down problems with movement.
Other therapies include physiotherapy and, in some cases, surgery.
– What does Parkinson’s UK say?
Chief executive Caroline Rassell said: “News of Ozzy Osbourne’s death, so soon after his celebratory homecoming show, will come as a shock to so many.
“By speaking openly about both his diagnosis and life with Parkinson’s, Ozzy and all his family helped so many families in the same situation.
“They normalised tough conversations and made others feel less alone with a condition that’s on the rise and affecting more people every day.
“All of our heartfelt thoughts are with his family, friends and fans worldwide. His memory and the impact he left on the world will live on in all of them.”
