People who are dealing with Parkinson’s disease have never imagined that finishing some simple daily tasks like getting dressed or climbing the tub can be so complicated. The following article will help you finish these tasks much easier and improve your overall condition avoiding drug-induced parkinsonism treatment.
There is no doubt that Parkinson’s disease symptoms, which occur as a result of dysfunctions of the dopamine system, can complicate daily routine. The feeling of weakness, muscle stiffness, and frequent tremors that Parkinson’s sufferers often deal with can radically affect their daily activities. This is especially true for the advanced stages of this neurodegenerative disease. Even the simplest activities like bathing, dressing, and walking can become a challenge.
Remedies for Common Parkinson’s Symptoms
Luckily, medical science and the community are making progress and there are many Parkinson’s disease treatments available today.
1. Remedies for Stiff Muscles
Exercise is one of the basic elements of Parkinson’s disease treatments and a great way to ease the pain and symptoms. According to Linda Pituch from the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Exercise is now tested as a potential intervention and neuroprotective measure for this disease.
The research has not confirmed the results, but it suggests that exercise can provide similar effects compared to medication and might be necessary for Parkinson’s disease patients.
This is a list of flexibility, mobility, and stretching exercises that can help ease stiffness in the muscles, enhance flexibility and improve quality of life:
- Stand across a wall (stand about eight inches away) and raise your arms up. After that, put your hands on the wall for support and stretch out the back and arms.
- In order to get appropriate support, place your back against the wall and start marching in place (slowly). Try to lift the knees as high as possible.
- Sit in your chair with a straight back and stretch your arms right behind your chair. Try to bring the shoulders back as much as you can. While stretching, lift your head in the direction of the ceiling.
- While you are sitting in the chair, stomp your feet up and down. Keep pumping your arms back and forth all the time.
2. Remedies for Tremors
Tremors are symptoms that occur in most Parkinson’s disease patients which manifests in frequent shaking. In order to eliminate tremors, you must take your prescribed medications regularly and in a timely manner. Pituch says that being on time when you need to take medication is crucial for success.
The effects of these medications are gone after a certain period of time, so patients need to be sure that the meds they take are always working. In case you notice the symptoms before your scheduled next dose, it is a good idea to consult your doctor and make the necessary changes in the timing.
It was proven that certain eating habits can also affect the efficiency of these medications and the intensity of the rest of the symptoms. For example, those who practice diets rich in protein can lower the body’s ability to absorb Dopar (levodopa, Larodopa), one of the most common medications used in Parkinson’s disease treatment. That’s why many doctors advise people suffering from Parkinson’s disease to limit the intake of protein to about 12% of the calories they take per day.
Start paying attention to the food labels and look for a nutritionist that can design a diet appropriate for you. In addition, it is believed that vegetables and fruits (foods that are already known as healthy) have the ability to improve nerve cell function and ease Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
3. Remedies for Walking Difficulties and Poor Balance
People experiencing Parkinson’s symptoms can improve the effects of their treatment by performing so-called gait training at their homes. This training includes trying new ways to walk, stand and turn. Those who are practicing gait training will try to:
- Keep their legs about 10 inches (or more) apart while walking or turning so they can lower the chances of falling and get more support.
- Take larger steps when walking in a straight line, taking care of adequate heel-toe form.
- Practice steady rhythm walking. This part of the gait training can be easily followed if you use a metronome – a well-known tool used by musicians who want to create and maintain a rhythmic beat. A recent study has confirmed that Parkinson’s sufferers who walk following the sound produced by a metronome can walk faster (for about 10%) and improve their gait too.
4. Creating a Much Safer Home
In addition, making some simple changes in and around your home can make you finish your daily tasks much easier. According to Pituch, it is only a matter of time when the healthcare professionals will create a detailed and precise plan with suggestions for Parkinson’s disease patients about how they can turn their homes into safe zones and function without any help at their homes.
Of course, it is always a good idea to discuss certain strategies that can make your living area safer with the Parkinson’s medical team. It turns out that occupational therapists can come up with some great suggestions and ideas about how to make your home safer. This is a type of therapist that can make suggestions about the position of the furniture, extensions, and handrails on toilets, types of floor coverings, etc. They can eliminate all the hazards and eliminate all the possible obstacles.
Via Everyday Health