How to manage Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra.

Symptoms generally develop slowly over years. The progression of symptoms is often a bit different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. People with PD may experience:

• Tremor, mainly at rest and described as pill rolling tremor in hands, although other forms of tremors are possible.
• Bradykinesia
• Limb rigidity
• Gait and balance problems

The cause remains largely unknown. Although there is no cure, treatment options vary and include medications and surgery. While Parkinson’s itself is not fatal, disease complications can be serious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rated complications from PD as the 14th cause of death in the United States.

We know that living with Parkinson’s disease can be difficult and the condition poses many challenges, however, there are ways to manage it that can help make everyday life more comfortable. These include;

1. Self-Education
   Being up-to-date with all the latest research about the disease and any clinical trials you can participate in can go a long way, also, keeping yourself abreast of newer medications will be helpful.
2. Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle
   Try to stay as active as possible through walking, swimming and other types of safe aerobics are great low-intensity exercises that you can take at your own pace.  Eating a balanced diet and keeping your weight at a healthy level are also good ways to help self-manage your Parkinson’s.
3. Keeping Your Independence
   Try to be as independent as possible for as long as possible. You should try and maintain your independence for as long as possible. If you can dress and bathe yourself, try to carry out all your basic activities of daily living yourself as long as it is safe and within the limits of your abilities.
4. Join a Support Group
   See if there is a local support group in your area for people with Parkinson’s disease. If there isn’t, find an online group. You’ll be able to share your experiences with people who really understand what you’re going through and get tips and information that will help you in your everyday life.
5. Physical Therapy
   Physical Therapy is very essential in managing your symptoms and improving general function in terms of general strength, ability to move around easily as well as improving your balance and essential improving your functional capabilities.

Physical Therapy services could be accessed at our Great neck and Farmingdale offices as well as through our In-Home Therapy program.

Sources

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2017/10/11/ways-self-manage-parkinsons-disease/

https://www.apdaparkinson.org/resources-support/living-with-parkinsons-disease/

https://parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons

Author

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy is an outstanding specialty service providing exceptional care and state-of-the-art treatments for the residents of Farmingdale and Great Neck, New York. The combination of innovative exercise programs, manual therapy, and technology together with the expertise of every member of the team enables Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy to provide services that ensure superior clinical outcomes and consistently high patient satisfaction.