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How To Cope With Parkinson’s Disease

How Is Parkinsons Diagnosed

Coping with Parkinson’s Disease

Doctors use your medical history and physical examination to diagnose Parkinson’s disease . No blood test, brain scan or other test can be used to make a definitive diagnosis of PD.

Researchers believe that in most people, Parkinson’s is caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Certain environmental exposures, such as pesticides and head injury, are associated with an increased risk of PD. Still, most people have no clear exposure that doctors can point to as a straightforward cause. The same goes for genetics. Certain genetic mutations are linked to an increased risk of PD. But in the vast majority of people, Parkinsons is not directly related to a single genetic mutation. Learning more about the genetics of Parkinsons is one of our best chances to understand more about the disease and discover how to slow or stop its progression.

Aging is the greatest risk factor for Parkinsons, and the average age at diagnosis is 60. Still, some people get PD at 40 or younger.

Men are diagnosed with Parkinsons at a higher rate than women and whites more than other races. Researchers are studying these disparities to understand more about the disease and health care access and to improve inclusivity across care and research.

Aging is the greatest risk factor for Parkinsons, and the average age at diagnosis is 60. Still, some people get PD at 40 or younger.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation has made finding a test for Parkinsons disease one of our top priorities.

What Is Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinsons disease occurs when brain cells that make dopamine, a chemical that coordinates movement, stop working or die. Because PD can cause tremor, slowness, stiffness, and walking and balance problems, it is called a movement disorder. But constipation, depression, memory problems and other non-movement symptoms also can be part of Parkinsons. PD is a lifelong and progressive disease, which means that symptoms slowly worsen over time.

The experience of living with Parkinson’s over the course of a lifetime is unique to each person. As symptoms and progression vary from person to person, neither you nor your doctor can predict which symptoms you will get, when you will get them or how severe they will be. Even though broad paths of similarity are observed among individuals with PD as the disease progresses, there is no guarantee you will experience what you see in others.

Parkinsons affects nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 6 million people worldwide.

For an in-depth guide to navigating Parkinsons disease and living well as the disease progresses, check out our Parkinsons 360 toolkit.

What Is Parkinson’s Disease?

Dr. Rachel Dolhun, a movement disorder specialist and vice president of medical communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation, breaks down the basics of Parkinson’s.

Being In A Relationship

We’ve met many couples and families who say that coping with Parkinson’s together has made their relationships stronger.

But some people find that Parkinson’s does affect their relationships, and this can happen at any stage of the condition.

Parkinsons may affect your self-image, mood and how you communicate with others. This may happen if youre in a casual or committed relationship, or if youre single. Some people have relationship issues in the early days, when theyre adjusting to diagnosis, while others may run into problems after many years of living with Parkinsons.

Each person with Parkinsons has their own experience of the condition. The symptoms you have may be different from other people. Its important to remember that many people go through sexual and relationship issues at some stage in their life, so any problems you have may have nothing to do with Parkinsons at all.

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Lifestyle And Home Treatments

Doctors will help patients find an appropriate treatment plan, often involving medication, that helps relieve symptoms with the fewest side effects. However, living with Parkinson’s disease can be made quite a bit easier with specific lifestyle changes. A healthy, balanced diet high in fiber and fluids can help relieve symptoms such as constipation. Omega-3 fatty acids may also beneficial for Parkinson’s disease patients. Exercising will help reduce emotional disturbances, such as depression and anxiety, and help improve balance.

Daily living activities can be difficult for individuals dealing with Parkinson’s disease. Thus, they should see an occupational therapist who can teach them techniques to help make life easier. Lifestyle changes, furthermore, are also something family members can also join in on with no worries as to side effects. However, they must follow the recommended guidelines from doctors as well. This kind of participation can provide invaluable support to the Parkinson’s disease patient.

Take Care Of Yourself

Coping With Parkinson

Probably one of the most important, and sometimes difficult, things caregivers can do is to take care of themselves. This includes maintaining mental and physical health by making and keeping your own medical and dental appointments. As a caregiver, it is important to keep your job whenever possible as it provides not only financial help and possibly insurance coverage, but also a sense of self-esteem. Join a support group for caregivers if possible. Support groups help you meet people who are going through what you are going though, vent frustrations, give and receive mutual support, and exchange resource information and coping strategies. Whenever possible get your sleep, take breaks, make and keep social activities, and try to keep your sense of humor.

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Parkinson’s Disease: Coping With Your Emotions

Losing control over your body can be frustrating. You may not feel like doing activities you used to. You may even feel embarrassed and stop seeing friends. These feelings are normal. But its important to find ways around them. Staying active and involved can help. Friends, family, and community groups can also offer support.

Be Honest With Each Other

A trap some caregiver-patient partners can get into is one person becoming the nurse while the other is demoted to helpless patient. Thats not productive and can end up being harmful if, for example, the caregiver takes on responsibilities that the person with Parkinsons is perfectly capable of doing.

As a caregiver, try to start an open dialogue for tough conversations with your loved one where you come to an agreement about when the loved one truly needs help.

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Creating A Treatment Plan

  • 1Use medication. Medication is one treatment option for Parkinson’s disease. These medications can help the motor symptoms of the disease, and improve your movement, mobility, and the appearance of tremors.XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source
  • Common drugs include Carbidopa-levodopa, Carbidopa-levodopa infusion, dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors, Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors, anticholinergics, and Amantadine.
  • These medications will help at the beginning of your condition to control physical motor symptoms. However, as the disease progresses, they will lose their effectiveness.
  • 2Consider surgery. Surgery is an option used later in the disease when medicine has stopped working or for those who have severe motor symptoms. Usually, the only symptoms that are able to be treated are the ones that responded to medicine earlier in your treatment.
  • The most common surgery done for PD is deep brain stimulation. In deep brain stimulation, electrodes are implanted into your brain that are connected to a generator in your chest. The generator sends electrical pulses to your brain that helps reduce symptoms.
  • This is offered to advanced PD patients. It can cause problems, like infection, stroke, or a brain hemorrhage, and doesn’t stop the disease from progressing.XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source
  • Coenzyme Q10
  • Coping With Apathy & Parkinson’s

    Parkinson Power How to Deal with Speech & Swallowing Problems

    Caring for yourself or someone else requires interest and an investment of focus. Should apathy set in, that do nothing sense, can lead to regression and setbacks in performance and finding solutions to help ease stress and reduce symptoms. It is quite remarkable what kind of results can be made when you drink more water, tweak your diet, exercise, and reduce your anxiety level.

    If you can time your medications to a schedule that works in conjunction with some of these recommendations to help yourself, I really believe that Parkinson’s symptoms can be improved greatly.

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    Cognitive Impairment As A Threat To Perceived Identity And Role

    This theme related to challenges coping with cognitive impairment in PD. Having PD and cognitive impairment was a threat to participants’ perception of themselves and their role within familial and social groups, which was a source of distress.

    Participants with mild cognitive impairment and PDD discussed how they were not the same person and that their image of themselves had changed as a result. Being diagnosed with PD to many participants was a life-changing event that split their lives into before and after. The uncertainty of PD and the awareness of how they had changed physically and mentally, from challenging day-to-day tasks they previously took for granted, were frequent reminders of PD. Their previous self-image was no longer congruent with their physical and mental state, which forced them to construct a new self-image which incorporated PD. Participants grieved for the part of themselves that PD took away.

    I almost had a breakdown because I couldn’t remember who I used to be, I literally couldn’t, I found that whatever was going on in my life it all revolved around Parkinson’s, even when I dream now I’ve got Parkinson’s, to me it’s as if it’s always been like this I think what a lot had been wrong with me too was I think I was grieving for somebody I’d lost, which was myself, I found a lot of similarities in grieving the things that you feel.

    Off Periods And Medication Effects

    One of the complications of PD is that medication effects can wear off throughout the day, leading to a re-emergence of PD symptoms, often described as off periods.

    The key to managing the off periods often lies in timing. Many people who have PD can observe trends in physical function throughout the day. You can keep track of your symptomatic changes throughout the day with a diary, and work with your doctor to adjust your medication schedule for optimal function during the times when you need it most.

    The medications that are used to treat PD can produce physical side effects as well. You might begin to experience writhing movements and other involuntary movements that are often described as dyskinesias. Often, medication adjustments can help reduce dyskinesias.

    Many people who have PD find that getting regular exercise can help in regaining some physical control. Exercises such as dancing, , swimming, and other challenging skill-based physical activity can help build better motor controleven if you start in your 70s or later.

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    The Symptoms To Watch For

    Individuals with Parkinson’s disease will often experience symptoms differently. However, there are similarities in the main types of symptoms seen in this condition. These symptoms include tremors, slowness of movement , the stiffness of the trunk and limbs , and impaired coordination and balance . Patients may also experience the loss of automatic movements and changes in writing and speech.

    Tremors usually begin in the patient’s fingers or hands even when at rest. Their forefinger and thumb may rub each other in a ‘pill-rolling’ tremor. Bradykinesia results in tasks feeling more challenging and taking much longer to do. An individual’s steps may shorten, and their feet may drag. Stiff muscles can reduce the range of motion and cause pain. The patient’s posture may stoop, and balance may weaken when standing or walking. Speech changes may result in reduced volume, slurring, hesitating, or speaking too quickly. Writing may become difficult.

    Stay On Top Of Insurance

    Coping with Parkinson

    If you were always the one who handled questions of insurance coverage, great but if not, you may want to familiarize yourself with the terms of your health insurance. Youll need to know details about if and to what extent your plan covers prescriptions, therapy sessions and other unexpected items.

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    After A Diagnosis Of Parkinson’s Disease 10 Years Ago Alley 58 Picked Up A Ping

    Your diagnosis of was delayed partly because you’d been injured while playing sports. What finally solved the mystery?The first symptom I noticed was that my foot kept cramping when I was playing tennis. I went to see a podiatrist, who recommended surgery. But my foot didn’t improve after the operation, and I developed problems in my wrist, elbow, and kneeall on my left side. I eventually went to a different foot surgeon for a second opinion. When I told him about a in my hand, he said I should see a neurologist.

    What happened during the visit with the neurologist?He did a clinical exam, then ordered an MRI to rule out or a brain tumor, which I didn’t have. He thought I might have Parkinson’s disease and recommended that I see a movement disorder specialist. He was right. I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and prescribed medication, and was able to resume playing tennis.

    How did you adjust after your symptoms progressed and tennis was harder to play?I fell on the court a few times and was concerned about injuring myself seriously. I was still doing physical therapy about twice a week in the basement of a building, and during one visit I heard stamping noises coming from above. It turned out the offices were in the same place as a table tennis center. And they had classes for people with Parkinson’s disease. It was a great discovery.

    How has Ping-Pong helped?It makes me feel competent. When I’m playing and moving, no one would ever say I have Parkinson’s.

    Surgery And Deep Brain Stimulation

    Deep brain stimulation is a treatment for Parkinsonâs disease that uses an implantable pacemaker-like device to deliver electrical pulses to parts of the brain involved in movement. The DBS system consists of leads precisely inserted into a specific brain target, the neurostimulator implanted in the chest, and extension wires that connect the leads to the neurostimulator. Though implantation of the system requires a neurosurgical procedure, the treatment itself consists of long-term electrical stimulation. Advantages of DBS include its ability to reduce the high doses of medications , its adjustability , and its reversibility DBS was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for PD in 2002 and according to Medtronic , more than 80,000 patients have undergone DBS surgery worldwide.

    Typical candidates are those who have motor fluctuations or periods of âoffâ time with troublesome symptoms alternating with periods of âonâ time with good symptom control, and also with possible periods of excessive movement .

    Not all patients with Parkinsonâs disease are good candidates for treatment with DBS. Approximately 10â20% of patients considered for possible treatment with DBS include those:

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    How Parkinsons Symptoms Affect Daily Life

    Symptoms of Parkinsons primarily affect how the body moves, which significantly changes daily life for both you and your older adult.

    Symptoms may include:

    • Tremors a main symptom of Parkinsons. It often begins in the hands, arms, and legs, often happening when the body is not moving and going away when movement starts.
    • Slowed movements a key marker of Parkinsons, it may look like dragging feet on the floor or taking an extremely long time to complete basic tasks.
    • Contracture a growing rigidity of muscles and joints that limit range of motion and flexibility. It can even lead to skeletal deformities.
    • Balance problems weakness, muscle rigidity, and slowed movements all contribute to balance problems and increased risk of falling.
    • Speech changes decrease in voice volume as well as slurred or slowed speech accompanies progression of Parkinsons

    Additional non-motor symptoms can also impact daily life. These include excessive sweating, loss of smell, mood/personality changes, constipation, urinary urgency, difficulty writing, trouble sleeping, hallucinations, and even neck pain.

    Use Assistive Devices For Self

    Robert Kuhn: “How I deal with Parkinson´s disease.”

    Over time, Parkinsons can make your self-care tasks difficult and so you should get ready for that.

    For example, your body will be stiffed in the morning and therefore getting started your day will be slower than normal. Performing tasks like taking a shower, getting dressed, and taking shoes on, will take more time than usual.

    Hand tremor is another problem that you will experience time to time. It is especially problematic in eating food. Similarly, Parkinsons can also affect the way you walk. Your walk will be slower than normal and sometimes stepping forward can be hard.

    Using assistive devices can help you to perform these self-care tasks easily. There are many products available on the market that are specially designed for Parkinsons patients. Some of the most effective products that you may need include tremor spoon, weighted utensils, and walking stick.

    Disclaimer: The information shared here should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions presented here are not intended to treat any health conditions. For your specific medical problem, consult with your health care provider.

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    Make A Plan Beforehand

    Planning ahead is important for everyone, but it is even more important for people with Parkinsons disease. It avoids the feel of urgency and helps with stress. For example, arranging a family or friends gathering can be less stressful if you make a list of guests and make a plan for how to serve and entertain them. Similarly, it is helpful to schedule your meeting with friends and family members or with your doctor.

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