What Treatments Are Available
Many Parkinson’s patients enjoy an active lifestyle and a normal life expectancy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and staying physically active contributes to overall health and well-being. Parkinson’s disease can be managed with self-care, medication, and surgery.
Self careExercise is as important as medication in the treatment of PD. It helps maintain flexibility and improves balance and range of motion. Patients may want to join a support group and continue enjoyable activities to improve their quality of life. Equally important is the health and well being of the family and caregivers who are also coping with PD. For additional pointers, see Coping With Parkinsons Disease.
These are some practical tips patients can use:
Medications There are several types of medications used to manage Parkinson’s. These medications may be used alone or in combination with each other, depending if your symptoms are mild or advanced.
After a time on medication, patients may notice that each dose wears off before the next dose can be taken or erratic fluctuations in dose effect . Anti-Parkinsons drugs can cause dyskinesia, which are involuntary jerking or swaying movements that typically occur at peak dosage and are caused by an overload of dopamine medication. Sometimes dyskinesia can be more troublesome than the Parkinsons symptoms.
Support For People With Parkinsons Disease
Early access to a multidisciplinary support team is important. These teams may include doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dietitians, social workers and specialist nurses. Members of the team assess the person with Parkinsons disease and identify potential difficulties and possible solutions.There are a limited number of multidisciplinary teams in Victoria that specialise in Parkinsons disease management. But generalist teams are becoming more aware of how to help people with Parkinsons disease.
Is There A Cure For Parkinsons
Theres currently no cure for Parkinsons, a disease that is chronic and worsens over time. More than 50,000 new cases are reported in the United States each year. But there may be even more, since Parkinsons is often misdiagnosed.
Its reported that Parkinsons complications was the
Complications from Parkinsons can greatly reduce quality of life and prognosis. For example, individuals with Parkinsons can experience dangerous falls, as well as blood clots in the lungs and legs. These complications can be fatal.
Proper treatment improves your prognosis, and it increases life expectancy.
It may not be possible to slow the progression of Parkinsons, but you can work to overcome the obstacles and complications to have a better quality of life for as long as possible.
Parkinsons disease is not fatal. However, Parkinsons-related complications can shorten the lifespan of people diagnosed with the disease.
Having Parkinsons increases a persons risk for potentially life threatening complications, like experiencing:
- falls
Parkinsons often causes problems with daily activities. But very simple exercises and stretches may help you move around and walk more safely.
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The 5 Stages Of Parkinsons Disease
Getting older is underrated by most. Its a joyful experience to sit back, relax and watch the people in your life grow up, have kids of their own and flourish. Age can be a beautiful thing, even as our bodies begin to slow down. We spoke with David Shprecher, DO, movement disorders director at Banner Sun Health Research Institute about a well-known illness which afflicts as many as 2% of people older than 65, Parkinsons Disease.
What Are The Symptoms Of End
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Stage four for Parkinsons disease is often called advanced Parkinsons disease because people in this stage experience severe and incapacitating symptoms. This is when medication doesnt help as much and serious disabilities set in.
Theres an increased severity in:
- How you speak a softer voice that trails off.
- Falling and trouble with balance and coordination.
- Freezing a sudden, but temporary inability to move, when you start to walk or change direction.
- Moving without assistance or a wheelchair.
- Other symptoms such as constipation, depression, loss of smell, low blood pressure when going to stand up, pain, and sleep issues.
Many times someone with advanced PD cant live on their own and needs help with daily tasks.
Stage five is the final stage of Parkinsons, and assistance will be needed in all areas of daily life as motor skills are seriously impaired. You may:
- Experience stiffness in your legs. It may make it impossible to walk or stand without help.
- Need a wheelchair at all times or are bedridden.
- Need round-the-clock nursing care for all activities.
- Experience hallucinations and delusions.
As Parkinsons disease progresses into these advanced stages, its symptoms can often become increasingly difficult to manage. Whether you or your loved one with end-stage Parkinsons lives at home, in an assisted living facility or a nursing home, hospice services can optimize your quality of life and that of your family members as well.
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Diagnosis And Management Of Parkinsons Disease
There are no diagnostic tests for Parkinsons. X-rays, scans and blood tests may be used to rule out other conditions. For this reason, getting a diagnosis of Parkinsons may take some time.
No two people with Parkinsons disease will have exactly the same symptoms or treatment. Your doctor or neurologist can help you decide which treatments to use.
People can manage their Parkinsons disease symptoms through:
- seeing a Doctor who specialises in Parkinsons
- medication
- multidisciplinary therapy provided for example, by nurses, allied health professionals and counsellors
- deep brain stimulation surgery .
Deep Brain Stimulation For Parkinson’s: Am I A Candidate
Deep brain stimulation is not a cure, but it can relieve your symptoms from Parkinson’s disease when medications are not an option. Only you and your doctor can decide if this surgical procedure is right for you. You may be a candidate for deep brain stimulation if:
- You have idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. Patients with atypical parkinsonism are not candidates.
- You have good motor function and independence during your best “on” state when taking the drug Sinemet.
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What Is Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease is a nervous system disease that affects your ability to control movement. The disease usually starts out slowly and worsens over time. If you have Parkinsons disease, you may shake, have muscle stiffness, and have trouble walking and maintaining your balance and coordination. As the disease worsens, you may have trouble talking, sleeping, have mental and memory problems, experience behavioral changes and have other symptoms.
Nutrition: What’s The Best Parkinsons Diet
What’s best to add to your medical Parkinsons Disease treatments?
- People with Parkinsons disease will benefit greatly from exercise and a Parkinsons diet with high quality proteins such as fish, along with lots of fruits and vegetables.
Why? Because “oxidative stress” is a big factor in the progression of Parkinsons disease symptoms.
Anti-oxidants counteract “oxidative stress,” one of the known Parkinsons Disease causes.
- Antioxidants in food and supplements will help to SLOW DOWN MANY Parkinsons disease symptoms.
- Add brain health supplements, especially that boost the “master ANTIOXIDANT” glutathione, to prevent and even repair damage.
Your Parkinsons Disease treatments will be enhanced and your life will likely be more fun!
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When To Seek Hospice Care
When you or your loved one have a life expectancy of six months or less, you become eligible for hospice care a type of comfort care provided at the end of life for someone living with end-stage Parkinsons disease. Hospice provides extra support so your loved one can live as comfortably as possible.
If you have experienced a significant decline in your ability to move, speak, or participate in activities of daily living without caregiver assistance, its time to speak with a hospice professional.
Read more: What is hospice care?
Some of the things that determine whether your loved one with end-stage Parkinsons is eligible for hospice include: difficulty breathing, bed bound, unintelligible speech, inability to eat or drink sufficiently, and/or complications including pneumonia or sepsis.
If you live in South Jersey, our nurse care coordinator can answer your questions and decide if your loved one is ready for hospice care. Call us 24/7 at 229-8183.
What Are Lewy Bodies
The affected neurons of people with Parkinsons disease have been found to contain clumped proteins called Lewy bodies. Researchers arent yet sure why Lewy bodies form or what role they play in the disease, but Lewy bodies are believed to be toxic.
Lewy bodies are clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein . Neurons cant break down these protein clumps, which may lead to the death of these cells.
Some other theoretical causes of brain cell death in people with Parkinsons disease include free-radical damage, inflammation, or toxins.
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Pills Glutathione Iv Intravenous Glutathione Treatment For Parkinsons
Why try a neuro-protective protein supplement for Parkinsons symptoms?
- Why not IV intravenous glutathione injections or PILLS?
Some neurologists will offer injections — intravenous glutathione, or IV glutathione, but there is a problem.
- This has drawbacks because it is expensive — and this gives UNDESIRABLE “highs and lows” rather than a sustained supply. In the longer term this is not effective.
- While glutathione pills are sold everywhere, these do not work, it does not get into the blood stream or brain, but gets digested.
- Taking the drug NAC to stimulate GSH has serious draw backs and side effects.
- Taking NAC can lead to a rare and serious disease called Amyloidosis, because NAC is stored in the brain.
How Is A Diagnosis Made
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Because other conditions and medications mimic the symptoms of PD, getting an accurate diagnosis from a physician is important. No single test can confirm a diagnosis of PD, because the symptoms vary from person to person. A thorough history and physical exam should be enough for a diagnosis to be made. Other conditions that have Parkinsons-like symptoms include Parkinsons plus, essential tremor, progressive supranuclear palsy, multi-system atrophy, dystonia, and normal pressure hydrocephalus.
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How Can Hospice Help Your Loved One In The Final Stages Of Parkinsons Disease
Hospice care is an extra layer of support to help you care for your loved one with end-stage Parkinsons disease. It is a special kind of care that provides comfort, support, and dignity at the end of life.
The comprehensive program focuses on physical, emotional, and spiritual quality of life through the help of a team of experts. The team includes a board-certified physician, nurse, social worker, certified home health aide , spiritual support counselor, and volunteer.
The nurse will explain the prognosis and what to expect in the upcoming days or weeks. They will also monitor pain and other symptoms. The CHHA helps with personal care needs like bathing and changing bed linens. The social worker helps address social, emotional and practical challenges including complex and inter-related needs. The spiritual support counselor helps explore spiritual concerns.
Most importantly, the hospice team will be there for you during this difficult time, bringing you peace of mind. The team is on call 24 hours a day even at 2:00 am.
Hospice is about making your final months and weeks as good as possible. This means focusing on what really matters to you.
You Have A Name For Your Symptoms
You just won a name for your symptoms. That’s one of three differences between yesterday and the avalanche that is today’s diagnosis. There is no difference in your health other than what took you to the doctor in the first place. Those new changes won’t come overnight, and neither did those changes. Enjoy your life as well as you can. No timelines.
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How Is Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosed
Someone with the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may be sent to see a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in the brain, nerves, and muscles. The neurologist may do some tests, including a brain scan and blood tests. These tests will not make the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, but the doctor will want to make sure that there is no other problem causing the symptoms. To diagnose Parkinson’s disease, the doctor relies on a person’s medical history, symptoms, and a physical exam.
What’s Missing In Parkinsons Disease Treatments
Dr. Abraham Hoffer andDr. Harold Foster believe that there is a second step missing from currentmedical Parkinsons Disease treatments.
They found that this second setof Parkinson’s symptoms — diminished voluntary movements and increasedinvoluntary movements — can indeed be delayed, reduced and even prevented.How?
Dr.Foster explains:
“I believe that there are twotypes of symptoms seen in Parkinson’s disease patients:
The first set is effectivelytreated with L-Dopa.
This second set of Parkinsons symptoms is different:
- Even with medication, the situationworsens with the appearance of a “second set of symptoms,” thataccording to Drs. Foster and Hoffer, “seems to result from thederivatives, such as the dangerous toxin dopachrome, that is produced by thebreakdown of dopamine.”
As a result, slowly but surely, the L-Dopa increases these “secondarysymptoms” until the patient becomes demented and often dies.
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If You Can No Longer Work
If you can no longer work, finances often are top of mind. If you are already of retirement age and are fully vested in your pension, you will probably retire much as if you would if you did not have Parkinson’s disease. Some pension plans include medical benefits that may even cover prescription medications. In some cases, you may be eligible for early retirement, which generally reduces the amount of your benefits by a percentage that depends on how many years away from full retirement you are when you stop working.
You also may have a 401 or other retirement savings plan that you’ve been contributing to while working. Under certain circumstances, you may tap into these funds before age 59-1/2, but there may be penalties or taxes that make this undesirable.
What Are The Primary Motor Symptoms Of Parkinsons Disease
There are four primary motor symptoms of Parkinsons disease: tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and postural instability . Observing two or more of these symptoms is the main way that physicians diagnose Parkinsons.
It is important to know that not all of these symptoms must be present for a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease to be considered. In fact, younger people may only notice one or two of these motor symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease. Not everyone with Parkinsons disease has a tremor, nor is a tremor proof of Parkinsons. If you suspect Parkinsons, see a neurologist or movement disorders specialist.
Tremors
Rigidity
Bradykinesia
Postural Instability
Walking or Gait Difficulties
Dystonia
Vocal Symptoms
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Coming To Terms With Your Diagnosis
Everybody reacts to a serious diagnosis like Parkinsons disease differently. If you have been diagnosed with young-onset Parkinsons disease like I was, hearing that kind of news is like hearing the sound of a heavy steel door slam shut on your future. It leaves you feeling alone and shaken. Or, you may have simply felt a sense of relief, because after years of bouncing from one doctor to another you finally had an answer.
No matter at what age you are diagnosed, you will be challenged by the news of a disease that you may not know much about. Whatever the reaction to your diagnosis, you will need to give yourself plenty of time to process the range of emotions you will experience. In the next several months, your goal should be to think through the emotional and physical effects of your diagnosis and to learn all you can about the illness as well as the resources that can help you stay healthy, both mentally and physically.
Parkinsons disease affects people from every walk of life, from political and religious leaders, actors and sports figures, to farmers, teachers, and members of the clergy. It does not matter if you are man or woman, although slightly more men than women are diagnosed with PD. Race, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and many other ways that society differentiates people do not make a difference. This can serve as a reminder that you are not alone, and that your PD is not a conscious choice you made.
What Happens As Parkinsons Progresses
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As the disease progresses, the physical symptoms of Parkinsons become more severe and make everyday tasks more difficult.
In the third and fourth stages, movement and coordination are slowed and impaired, limiting mobility. Secondary symptoms such as voice changes, an altered sense of smell, or digestive system issues can often appear in these mid-stages . You may also suffer from anxiety, depression, confusion, or dementia.
In the fifth and final stage, the symptoms of Parkinsons result in a loss of mobility to the extent that individuals are unable to walk or live without full-time assistance. Non-motor skills also deteriorate at this stage, and a patients symptoms may include hallucinations, delusions, and even dementia.
While this is a life-changing disease, its important to remember that all is not lost with new developments in treatment, prevention methods, and medication, life after the onset of Parkinsons has never looked brighter.
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Is Parkinsons Disease Inherited
Scientists have discovered gene mutations that are associated with Parkinsons disease.
There is some belief that some cases of early-onset Parkinsons disease disease starting before age 50 may be inherited. Scientists identified a gene mutation in people with Parkinsons disease whose brains contain Lewy bodies, which are clumps of the protein alpha-synuclein. Scientists are trying to understand the function of this protein and its relationship to genetic mutations that are sometimes seen in Parkinsons disease and in people with a type of dementia called Lewy body dementia.
Several other gene mutations have been found to play a role in Parkinsons disease. Mutations in these genes cause abnormal cell functioning, which affects the nerve cells ability to release dopamine and causes nerve cell death. Researchers are still trying to discover what causes these genes to mutate in order to understand how gene mutations influence the development of Parkinsons disease.
Scientists think that about 10% to 15% of persons with Parkinsons disease may have a genetic mutation that predisposes them to development of the disease. There are also environmental factors involved that are not fully understood.