Parkinsons Disease Is A Progressive Disorder
Parkinsons Disease is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement and, in some cases, cognition. Individuals with PD may have a slightly shorter life span compared to healthy individuals of the same age group. According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research, patients usually begin developing Parkinsons symptoms around age 60. Many people with PD live between 10 and 20 years after being diagnosed. However, a patients age and general health status factor into the accuracy of this estimate.
While there is no cure for Parkinsons disease, many patients are only mildly affected and need no treatment for several years after their initial diagnosis. However, PD is both chronic, meaning it persists over a long period of time, and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse over time. This progression occurs more quickly in some people than in others.
Pharmaceutical and surgical interventions can help manage some of the symptoms, like bradykinesia , rigidity or tremor , but not much can be done to slow the overall progression of the disease. Over time, shaking, which affects most PD patients, may begin to interfere with daily activities and ones quality of life.
Psychological Issue: Depression And Sex
With diagnosis and decreased physical capacity, a persons sense of self is disrupted with Parkinsons. Parkinsons itself can cause changes in the brains chemicals that impact ones mood and well-being. Depression can affect up to 40 percent of those with Parkinsons. This is important to realize since sexual disorders may be due to the depression that can come with Parkinsons diagnosis more than by the actual disease itself. The antidepressant medications that may be administered can also result in sexual dysfunction.
Other emotional issues for those who have Parkinsons, which may result in sexual difficulties, include: anger, stress, grief, and mental fatigue. An individual grappling with Parkinsons may experience reduced self-esteem, which can inhibit ones sexuality. Such is made even more difficult by the body image problems that can arise, due to issues like changes in skin texture or the body smell that results from consuming Parkinsons drugs.
The partner of a person with Parkinsons can also have trouble coping with the situation. Issues that may arise include:
- Fatigue and resentment in taking on more responsibility.
- Dealing with their own feelings related to a partners diagnosis, like fear, anxiety, and depression.
- Loss of attraction and sexual interest due to the symptoms of PD, e.g., involuntary movements or changes in appearance, like the lack of facial expression.
Get Involved Or Stay Involved
Whether you have PD or not, good health is better maintained when you are involved. Work, hobbies, and exercise all contribute to staying engaged and sharp.1 Some suggestions to consider:
- Keep working
- Join a support group
- Join an exercise class
If you have been dependent on driving to get to work or get to fun activities, you may want to seek out other forms of transportation. Do activities with a friend and ask them to drive.;You might even hire someone to drive you instead of having to pay for parking.2 There are also shared car services in addition to public transportation and services like access-a-ride.;Local Parkinsons groups or organizations can help you to identify transportation options in your area.
Read Also: What Color Represents Parkinson’s Disease
Is It Ok To Limit Driving Instead Of Stopping Completely That Is Only Drive Locally Or During The Day
What we find is that as we age, most people normally begin to restrict their driving. For example, older drivers often prefer to not drive at night, drive in familiar areas only, and limit highway and rush-hour driving. Drivers usually are more comfortable driving in familiar areas that are close to home and driving during the daytime. The more frequently we drive places, the more familiar we are with the streets, traffic patterns, and routes, making it easier for us to navigate.; But even when driving locally, the unexpected situation can still occur . ;Therefore, restricting driving to a persons local area is not always sufficient. It really depends on both the type and level of severity of impairment that the person with PD is experiencing. Restricting driving is most useful when the type and severity of impairment will support the drivers ability to follow through safely with the restriction. Advice from a physician and/or occupational therapist who works with driving can be beneficial in guiding such a decision.
An additional concern arises when drivers who need to restrict their driving fail to do so.; Usually those who fail to restrict when necessary have cognitive impairments which limit their insight into the need for restrictions.
Driving When You Have Parkinson’s Disease
- For most people, driving represents freedom, control and competence. Driving enables most people to get to the places they want or need to go. For many people, driving is important economically some drive as part of their job or to get to and from work.
- Driving is a complex skill. Our ability to drive safely can be affected by changes in our physical, emotional and mental condition. The goal of this brochure is to help you and your health care professional talk about how Parkinsons may affect your ability to drive safely.
How can Parkinsons disease affect my driving?
- Parkinsons disease can cause your arms, hands, or legs to shake even when you are relaxed. It also can make it harder for you to keep your balance, or start to move when you have been still. If you have Parkinsons and you try to drive, you may not be able to:
- react quickly to a road hazard;
- turn the steering wheel; or
- use the gas pedal or push down the brake.
Can I still drive with Parkinsons?
- Most likely, Yes, in the early stages of the disease, and if you take medicines that control your symptoms.
What can I do when Parkinsons disease affects my driving?
What if I have to cut back or give up driving?
Recommended Reading: Is Parkinson’s Disease Fatal
How Do I Know If I Can Drive Safely
- Ask a trusted friend or family member for honest input about your driving skills.
*Please note that not all content is available in both languages. If you are interested in receiving Spanish communications, we recommend selecting both” to stay best informed on the Foundation’s work and the latest in PD news.
Legal Obligations Insurance And Tax
Your legal obligations will depend on the laws of the country in which you live. In many countries, your doctor will be obliged to carry out a regular ‘fit to drive’ check.
The most common heath-related driving laws in European countries are outlined below but you should always check on current legislation with your doctor or a suitably qualified member of your healthcare team.
Read Also: What Is The Life Expectancy Of Someone With Parkinson’s Disease
What Causes Parkinsons Disease Dementia
A chemical messenger in the brain called dopamine helps control and coordinate muscle movement. Over time, Parkinsons disease destroys the nerve cells that make dopamine.
Without this chemical messenger, the nerve cells cant properly relay instructions to the body. This causes a loss of muscle function and coordination. Researchers dont know why these brain cells disappear.
Parkinsons disease also causes dramatic changes in a part of your brain that controls movement.
Those with Parkinsons disease often experience motor symptoms as a preliminary sign of the condition. Tremors are one of the most common first symptoms of Parkinsons disease.
As the disease progresses and spreads in your brain, it can affect the parts of your brain responsible for mental functions, memory, and judgment.
Over time, your brain may not be able to use these areas as efficiently as it once did. As a result, you may begin experiencing symptoms of Parkinsons disease dementia.
You have an increased risk of developing Parkinsons disease dementia if:
- youre a person with a penis
- youre older
Parkinson’s And Female Sex Drive
Common sexual issues in women with Parkinson’s disease include loss of lubrication and involuntary urination during sex. Sex can be uncomfortable because of a lack of lubrication and desire.
For women with PD who have experienced menopause, the decline in sexual interest may be due to both menopause and PD. Hormone replacement therapy may help the physical effects of menopause.
An added benefit is that such therapy can help keep bones strong and flexible. Never, however, take any hormonal supplements without consulting with your doctor first.
Also Check: What Is The Life Expectancy Of Someone With Parkinson’s Disease
Sexual Problems In Parkinsons
As with any subject that makes us the least bit embarrassed, sexual problems often are swept under the rug. The subject is seldom mentioned outside the bedroom and may rarely be brought up to your doctor. Still, sexual changes are a common part of getting older and;occur frequently among people with Parkinsons.
You can continue to have healthy sexual relationships while living with Parkinson’s disease , but you may experience new challenges. The symptoms of Parkinson’s can create barriers to intimacy, and many people with Parkinson’s experience emotions that affect their sexual relationships, such as anxiety, fear and insecurity about physical changes. The stress of caring for a loved one with PD can make you feel tired, anxious or even resentful.;Talking with your partner is key to finding solutions;that work for both of you. If you can remain open, honest and patient and remember that physical closeness takes many forms you and your partner can, together, discover many ways to adapt.
Your doctor is a source of help.;Treatments and strategies are available, but people often don’t talk to their doctors about sexual matters. Sharing this aspect of your life with PD with your physician can help you maintain a healthy sexual relationship and quality of life.
Parkinson’s symptoms and medications can bring changes in sexual health:
Can You Drive A Car With Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease involves a specific type of movement disorder, which significantly impairs an individuals driving skills and cause his/her safety concerns. Even the problem forces a large number of people suffering from parkinsons disease problem to stop driving their cars. Because of this, primary symptoms present in Parkinsons disease interfere seriously with one of the complicated tasks i.e. driving a car. These symptoms include the following-
- Tremor i.e. trembling in arms, hands, jaws, legs and head
- Rigidity i.e. stiffness in both trunk and limbs
- Slowness in body movements and
- Impaired balance or postural instability.
Along with this, a few people dealing with Parkinsons disease develops cognitive impairment, which includes defects in language, problem solving and language.
You May Like: What Is The Life Expectancy Of Someone With Parkinson’s Disease
Driving A Vehicle Safely
Being able to drive a vehicle requires high levels of skill and ability. A driver either needs to be unaffected by a medical condition, or have a medical condition that is controlled so that symptoms are highly unlikely to cause any problems.
Sadly, Parkinsons is a progressive condition and deterioration is inevitable. Itll affect many activities, including driving. This is why it is so important that all drivers who are diagnosed with Parkinsons must tell DVLA. The rate of deterioration varies, but recognising that it will happen is important. It allows the patient and their family time to make plans for any lifestyle changes that may be necessary.
Knowing you will eventually lose the ability to drive is never easy to accept. But it may be more bearable if the person has time to adjust and plan alternative ways of travel. For example: public transport, taxis, or lifts from friends and relatives.
For professional drivers, who must demonstrate a greater level of fitness to drive, it may involve reviewing work options for the future.
Physical Issues Of Your Sex Drive
Parkinsons affects ones autonomic nervous system, which controls sexual response and functioning. Parkinsons acts upon neurons in the brains substantia nigra, causing dopamine-producing nerve cells to die. Since dopamine is a chemical that transmits signals between parts of the brain that usually coordinate smooth muscle movement, this is critical to sexual function on two fronts.
Introducing an easier way to track your symptoms and manage your care.
Dont want to download the app? Use the non-mobile version here.
First, this dopamine drop may result in a decreased sex drive and sexual interest. Second, the lower levels of dopamine that result are believed to cause ones loss of balance, changes in walking pattern and posture, muscle rigidity, Bradykinesia , and tremors when resting. The symptoms of Parkinsons can also be seen in:
Don’t Miss: What Is The Life Expectancy Of Someone With Parkinson’s Disease
How Does A Person Know When They Should Reconsider Driving
A good indicator of when it may be time to consider driving retirement is when there are notable difficulties and/or changes in any of the symptoms we mentioned above. Since many times it is difficult for someone to notice a decline in function in themselves, it is usually a family member, close friend, or physician who will notice significant changes in function. It is the physician who will recommend driving retirement or make a referral to a specialist who can perform a comprehensive driving evaluation. Since driving requires a combination of visual skills, motor skills and cognitive skills, it is important to monitor how all of these areas change when someone is diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease like PD. If someone notices a significant change in function that might affect the ability to drive safely, this should be talked about with a doctor.
Another very important indicator of whether a person should be driving, is how well the person is currently driving. For example, have there been recent accidents or traffic tickets, small scrapes on the car, potentially dangerous actions observed by passengers in the car, or getting lost while driving, etc? Again, in such cases a doctor may recommend driving retirement or a comprehensive driving evaluation.
Parkinsons Disease And Driving
Driving is an essential part of many of our activities of daily living. It is how most of us get to work, school and various appointments; its how we travel to and from household and social activities. For many, receiving their drivers license marked a rite of passage to becoming an adult. Driving gives us independence and freedom.
Driving is a complex task that requires you to be aware at all times and be able to respond quickly to the constantly changing circumstances. Anything that impacts or affects your ability to drive must be taken into serious consideration. This includes Parkinsons disease, which has physical, mental and emotional symptoms.
Research shows that even healthy people outlive their ability to drive by several years and most often this is due to changes in vision as we age. Most drivers however, do not plan to retire from driving as they age. Many people realize when their driving skills are diminishing, often resulting in decreased confidence on the road. In some cases, the fear of isolation or loss of independence overrides their judgment concerning their driving abilities, resulting in denial of having any problems. This is especially true for those with Parkinsons. People with Parkinsons may be additionally fearful that the need to stop driving indicates a progression in their disease.
For more information and to view checklists, visit;
Also Check: Life Expectancy Of Someone With Parkinson’s Disease
Medication Not Working The Way It Used To
In the early stages, taking medicine works well to get rid of symptoms. But as Parkinsons progresses, your medication works for shorter periods of time, and symptoms return more easily. Your doctor will need to change your prescription.
Dr. Valerie Rundle-Gonzalez, a Texas-based neurologist, says to pay attention to how long your medicine takes to kick in and when it stops working. She says you should feel like symptoms significantly improve or are almost gone while on medication.
Preliminary Efficacy Of Targeted In
Driving is key to keeping people independent and healthy. For people with Parkinsons, including many who are diagnosed with the early-onset form of the disease, having to stop driving drastically affects their quality of life.
Having a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease does not mean you are unfit to drive, says Liliana Alvarez, an assistant professor at Western University. People with mild to moderate Parkinsons may have years of safe driving ahead of them. But as the disease progresses, adequate supports need to be put into place to avoid them having any issues with their driving.
Alvarez and her team have already determined that switching lanes is a critical error on driving tests and a cause of accidents for people with Parkinsons, because the task requires people to process several pieces of information and make quick decisions.
Now they are using a driving simulator to test the effectiveness of technology already available in some vehicle models that signals when another car is in a drivers blind spot when they shift lanes.
They want to see if the blinking lights or warning sounds that the blind spot technology uses will helpor further distractdrivers with Parkinsons.
Participants in this pilot project will use the simulator to drive a route that has been designed to challenge their lane-changing ability, with the help of this new technology.
She hopes their work will make a difference, and set the stage for a larger clinical trial eventually.
Search
Read Also: Does Parkinson’s Affect Vision