Parkinson's Awareness Month is during the month of April! You probably know a family member or friend who lives with Parkinson's Disease.
Facts About Parkinson's Disease:
What is Parkinson’s disease? It’s a chronic & progressive movement disorder that involves the malfunction of vital nerve cells in the brain.
Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson's disease, which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease (or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). As for the #FutureOfPD, this is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030.
Incidence of Parkinson’s disease increases with age, but an estimated 4 percent of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50.
Research from the Parkinson’s Outcomes Project found that people with Parkinson’s who engaged in at least 2.5 hours of exercise a week had a better quality of life than those who didn't exercise at all or started exercising later. Awareness helps more people take control of their #FutureOfPD.
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Did you know that approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) each year? But most people don’t really understand what PD really is. With Parkinson’s affecting over 1 million people in America and 6 million people worldwide, it’s time people know more about PD.
PD is a progressive disease, which means it worsens overtime, that affects the central nervous system and the ability to coordinate movement in the body. The disease typically affects one’s ability to walk, develops tremors in the hands, and causes muscles to become rigid, making any kind of motion extremely difficult.
Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson’s is considered a “movement disorder,” but other symptoms such as constipation, depression, memory problems and other non-movement symptoms are also common. One may experience low blood pressure, urine problems, mood disturbances, psychosis, drooling, excess fatigue, vision and weight changes, and so much more. PD can also affect speech and swallowing.
However, no case of Parkinson’s is like another, which means no treatment plan should be the same. Even though there may be some generalities and trends, there is no way for you or your doctor to predict which course the disease could take, which makes treatment and coping with the disease sometimes extremely difficult and confusing. Most are diagnosed with PD later in life, but young diagnoses are also extremely common.
How to Help Parkinson's Disease
Physical and speech therapy are key to help you improve your voice, range of motion, strength, stamina, and posture, so you can remain mobile and reclaim some independence in your life. With our LSVT LOUD, LSVT BIG, and Rock Steady Boxing programs, adapted for your individual needs, our therapists can help any patient in any stage of PD grow in mobility, strength, speech, and independence. Give us a call or talk to your doctor if you’re curious how we could help with your PD diagnosis.
The Basics of Parkinson's Disease
As Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is progressive, it worsens overtime, and a variety of symptoms can arise. The largest impact of the disease is seen when it affects the central nervous system and the ability to coordinate movement in the body, but it can affect many other areas as well. The disease typically hinders one’s ability to walk and balance, develops tremors in the hands, and causes muscles to become rigid, making any kind of regular motion extremely difficult if the right treatment isn’t considered.
Side Effects of Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson’s is called a “movement disorder,” but other debilitating symptoms also occur, making treatment complex and crucial to living well under a PD diagnosis. PD is made up of motor and non-motor symptoms, meaning both movement, involuntary body functioning, mood, and other physical changes may occur. One may experience low blood pressure, urine problems, mood disturbances, psychosis, drooling, excess fatigue, vision and weight changes, and so much more. PD can also affect speech and swallowing.
No "One Size Fits All"
However, no case of Parkinson’s is like another. There are some generalities and trends, but there is no way for you or your doctor to predict which course the disease could take, which can make treatment and coping with the disease sometimes extremely difficult and confusing.
One of the most important and common areas of treatment that can help those living with PD is physical and speech therapy. Physical therapy can help your muscles gain strength and balance, and speech therapy can help control changes in voice and swallowing.
What Do You Do Next?
If you or a loved one has been or is ever diagnosed with PD, find health care professionals you trust and are always educating themselves on new research and science. Make sure to not isolate yourself but remain involved in community, as this can tremendously help in areas of mood and emotional changes. And get moving! In whatever form or fashion you must, movement can help slow the progression of the disease.
Parkinson's Disease and Physical Therapy
The ability to move around and stay active is important for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), from diagnosis throughout the course of the disease. The role of physical therapy is to help you keep moving as well and as long as possible, while enhancing the ability to move. Recent research suggests that physical therapy — including gait and balance training, resistance training and regular exercise — may help improve or hold the symptoms of PD at bay.
When and Why to Find a Physical Therapist
Physical therapists can be helpful at all stages of PD. Movement impairments in the initial stages of the disease are not always obvious. By not engaging a physical therapist with a neurological specialization as part of their medical team, people with Parkinson’s often miss the window of opportunity to address these impairments early. Talk to your doctor about getting a baseline physical therapy evaluation and then continue with periodic re-evaluations.
According to the Parkinson’s Outcomes Project, the largest clinical study of Parkinson’s disease through our Centers of Excellence network, increasing physical activity to at least 2.5 hours a week can slow decline in quality of life. The Parkinson’s Foundation has identified specific care approaches associated with better outcomes across patients who seek expert care at our designated care centers. Among others, best practices include early referral to physical therapy and encouragement of exercise as part of treatment.
A physical therapist is uniquely trained to design an exercise routine that targets specific motor impairments. Physical therapists also have an opportunity to provide frequent, direct feedback to help make you aware of how to exercise most effectively and safely.
A physical therapist can provide:
- Education and self-management advice.
- Exercise routines that have been associated with improvements (or slower declines) in mobility, quality of life and disease severity.
- Answers to questions about the type, intensity, frequency or duration of exercise that is best for you.
- Ways to maintain safety when exercising.
- Help with:
- Normal physical activity routine
- Walking: slowness, small steps, or freezing (feeling glued to the floor or difficulty getting started)
- Balance or stability
- Posture
- Pain
- Moving around the house (getting up from a chair, moving around in bed)
- Getting around (in/out of a car or bus, elevators, stairs and uneven ground)
- Address fear of falling, have fallen or are worried about your safety.
- Other health problems that affect mobility, including joint or muscle pain from arthritis, problems with endurance due to a heart or lung condition, a broken bone or surgery
Setting Movement Goals with your Therapist
Every client works with their physical therapist to set individualized movement goals. Physical therapists can help you optimize your exercise routine based on the latest research, re-learn challenging tasks or stay safe and independent in the home. Some of the most common movement goals for people with Parkinson’s include:
- Learning about exercises
- Improving walking, balance or posture
- Addressing fall risk
- Treating pain
Before your first visit, think about your movement goals and write down your problems and questions. This will help you to organize your thoughts. You can do this for future visits, too.
Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
Speech therapy treatment will be different at different stages of Parkinson’s. In the disease’s early stages, patients learn strategies and exercises to help with voice volume, speed of speech, breathing, facial expressions and clear pronunciation of words. Therapists can give some tips on speaking in noisy environments as well as problems associated with eating and drinking.
As the disease progresses and communication becomes difficult, therapists can offer advice on ways to cope with it. Some examples include the use of assistive devices like computers or voice amplifiers, making eye contact while speaking, or planning activities when patients feel at their best.
Lee Silverman voice technique (LSVT)
LSVT LOUD is a speech treatment that has been proven to significantly improve speech after one month. Results can last up to two years following treatment. The LSVT LOUD method is easy to learn and must be repeated four days a week for four consecutive weeks to be effective. After a four-week treatment period, LSVT LOUD exercises should be done daily to maintain the improvements achieved.
https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/speech-therapy-for-parkinsons-disease/