Parkinson’s Disease: Brett Favre’s Diagnosis Explained

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback and football Hall of Famer Brett Favre announced that he has Parkinson’s disease during a congressional hearing on Tuesday about his alleged misuse of welfare funds in Mississippi.

Favre, who is 54, tied his diagnosis to multiple concussions he suffered during his football career. Research says that head injuries could be linked to the development of Parkinson’s disease and that those who play football are also more likely to develop it.

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative and progressive condition in which parts of the brain become damaged and die, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Neurons in the brain that produce dopamine tend to be most affected in people with Parkinson’s, which impacts a person’s ability to make smooth movements.

Parkinson’s disease is known to start slowly and advance with time, although how it looks varies from person to person.

One of the most common symptoms of the disease is tremors, particularly in the hand, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. These tremors tend to happen when your hand (or other affected muscles) are at rest. This phenomenon tends to be the first sign of the condition.

Other red flags related to Parkinson’s disease include limb rigidity and stiffness, balance trouble, posture changes, slowed movements, drooling, loss of smell and reduced blinking. Oftentimes, these symptoms start on one side of the body and progress to both sides.

Symptoms that involve loss of muscle control tend to be the most common, but as mentioned, the exact issues each person experiences can vary. Folks with Parkinson’s disease often have trouble walking and even experience freezing or falls as the disease progresses.

The exact cause of Parkinson’s is not known, but factors like gene changes (if you have a significant history of Parkinson’s disease in your family) may increase your risk, along with certain environmental toxins like pesticides. As mentioned above, some studies suggest that brain injuries are linked to the disease, too.

Specific groups of people are more at risk of Parkinson’s disease, including men, older adults (it tends to start around 50) and people with parents or siblings who have the condition.

Since there is not one known cause of Parkinson’s disease, there is also not one known way to prevent it. However, getting regular aerobic exercise can help, and some research says drinking caffeine can also help decrease your risk, according to the Mayo Clinic.

If you think you have Parkinson’s disease, you should talk to your primary care doctor, who can refer you to a neurologist in your area. The neurologist can then run tests and look at your medical history to determine if you have the condition.

It’s also important to report your concerns to your primary care doctor ASAP because, unlike other conditions, there is not one straightforward test that can tell you whether or not you have Parkinson’s disease. It can take a while and many appointments to get an official diagnosis.

There is no cure for the disease, but there are treatments and medications available that can reduce bothersome symptoms, according to the National Institutes of Health. Certain lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise, can also benefit people with Parkinson’s disease, and regular appointments with a physical therapist or occupational therapist are beneficial, too.