Have you ever wondered about the challenges individuals face when living with Parkinson's Disease?

Karetrip explores Parkinson's Disease and its management, shedding light on the complexities of this neurological condition and the strategies employed to enhance quality of life.

Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Currently, there is no specific diagnostic test for Parkinson’s disease. The diagnosis is made by a doctor trained in neurological conditions, known as a neurologist. Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed based on your medical history, review of symptoms, and neurophysiological examination.

Your healthcare team member may suggest a specific imaging called a dopamine transporter (DAT) scan.

While this may help support the suspicion that you have Parkinson’s disease, your symptoms come from a neurological examination that ultimately determines the correct diagnosis.

Most people don’t need a DAT scan. Your healthcare team may demand laboratory tests, such as blood tests, to rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.

Imaging tests — such as MRIs, brain ultrasounds and PET scans — can also be used to rule out other problems. Imaging tests are particularly helpful in the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Following your evaluation, a member of your healthcare team may prescribe carbidopa-levodopa (Rytary, Sinemet, others), a Parkinson’s disease medication.

You need to be given the right dose to see benefits, as it is not reliable to get a low dose for a day or two. In most cases, significant improvement with this drug will confirm the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease sometimes takes time to be diagnosed. Health care providers may recommend regular check-ups with neurologists trained in movement disorders to monitor your condition and symptoms over time to diagnose Parkinson’s disease.

However, another test may be coming. Researchers are studying a Parkinson’s test that could detect the disease before symptoms begin. The test is called Alpha-C.

Management

There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but medication can help control symptoms, often dramatically. Surgery may be recommended in some advanced cases.

Your healthcare team can also recommend lifestyle changes, especially continuing with aerobic exercise. In some cases, exercises focused on balance and flexibility are necessary.

A speech-language pathologist can help improve speech problems.

Medications

Medications can help manage your gait, movement and tremor problems. These drugs increase or replace dopamine. People with Parkinson’s disease have low levels of dopamine in their brains. However, dopamine cannot be delivered directly because it cannot enter the brain.

Starting Parkinson’s treatment can significantly improve your symptoms. But over time, the benefits of medications often diminish. In most cases, you still have good control over your symptoms.

Surgical Procedures

Deep brain stimulation : In deep brain stimulation (DBS), surgeons implant electrodes in a specific area of ​​the brain. The electrodes are connected to a generator inserted into the chest near the wrist. The generator sends electricity to the brain and can reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Your healthcare team can adjust your plans as needed to treat your condition. Surgery looks for risk factors such as infection, trauma, or bleeding in the brain.

Some people experience DBS problems or complications due to anger. A member of your healthcare team may need to make adjustments or change parts of the plan.

Deep brain stimulation is often given to people with severe Parkinson’s disease who are allergic to levodopa. DBS can stabilize chemical fluctuations, reduce or stop involuntary movements known as dyskinesia, reduce tremor, reduce rigidity, or improve movement DBS is effective in controlling variable responses to levodopa or dyskinesia that does not improve with medication adjustments.

However, DBS does not contribute to side effects that are not a response to levodopa therapy except for tremor. Tremors can be controlled with DBS although tremors are less responsive to levodopa. Although DBS may provide sustained benefit for symptoms of Parkinson's disease, it does not improve Parkinson's disease.

Advanced Treatments

MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a minimally invasive treatment that has helped some people with Parkinson's disease manage their tremor. Ultrasound MRIs can be used to determine where in the brain the tremor originates. Ultrasound waves are at very high temperatures and burn areas causing vibration.

Lifestyle And Home Remedies

You will need to work closely with your healthcare team to find a Parkinson’s disease treatment plan that will provide maximum relief from symptoms without side effects.

Some medications can make your symptoms worse, so please discuss any medications you are currently taking with your care team. Certain lifestyle changes can also help make life with Parkinson’s disease easier.

Healthy Diet

A healthy diet While no food or combination of foods can be proven to help with Parkinson’s disease, certain foods can help alleviate some of the symptoms. For example, eating fiber-rich foods and drinking plenty of water can help prevent seizures, which are common in Parkinson’s disease.

A balanced diet also provides nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, that can be best for people with Parkinson's disease.

Exercise

Exercise can improve your muscle strength, flexibility and balance. Exercise can also improve your well-being and reduce depression or anxiety. Your healthcare team may suggest that you work with a physical therapist to find an exercise program that will work for you.

You can try exercises like walking, swimming, gardening, dancing, water aerobics or stretching. Parkinson’s disease can affect your balance, making it difficult for you to walk with your walking steps. Exercise can improve your balance.

Few more suggestions may also help: Try not to go too fast. Aim for your heels to hit the ground first as you walk. If you find yourself confused, stop and look at your seat. Best to stay upright. Look forward as you walk, not straight down.

Avoiding Falls

In the later stages of the disease, it is easy to fall. In fact, you may be thrown off with the slightest push or turn. The following suggestions may help: Instead of turning your body on your feet, do a U-turn. Divide your weight evenly between your legs and don’t lean back. Avoid carrying things on the go.

Daily activities

Daily activities such as dressing, eating, bathing and writing can be difficult for people with Parkinson’s disease. An occupational therapist can show you techniques that make daily life easier. If you have difficulty speaking, a speech therapist can help.

Many people with Parkinson's have speech difficulties such as hoarseness, hoarseness, phonological problems, slurred speech, low monotone voice that doesn't express much, and inappropriate silence and talks about it a therapist can help manage these problems.

Alternative medicine

Supportive treatments can help reduce some of the symptoms and complications of Parkinson’s disease, such as pain, fatigue and depression. When combined with your treatments, these treatments can improve your quality of life: Massage therapies: Massage can reduce muscle tension and promote relaxation. However, this treatment is rarely covered by health insurance.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese form of gymnastics, uses gentle flowing movements that can improve flexibility, balance and muscle strength. Tai chi can also help prevent falls. Several types of Tai Chi are designed for people of any age or body type. Tai chi can improve balance more than stretching and resistance training in people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, a study found together.

Yoga

Gentle stretches and self-reliance in yoga can improve flexibility and balance. You can change most situations to suit your physical abilities.

Meditation

In meditation, you think quietly and focus on an idea or image. Meditation reduces stress and pain and improves your sense of self.

Pet Therapy

Having a dog or cat can give you flexibility and mobility and improve your emotional health.

Relaxation Techniques

These exercises help lower your blood pressure, lower your heart rate, and strengthen your muscles.

Living with any chronic illness can be difficult, and it is ok to feel angry, depressed or frustrated at times. Parkinson’s can be very frustrating as walking, talking and even eating becomes difficult and time-consuming. Moreover, depression is common in people with Parkinson’s disease.

But antidepressants can help ease the symptoms of depression, so talk to your healthcare team if you continue to feel sad or hopeless. While friends and family can be your best friends, the understanding of people who know what you are going through can be especially helpful. Support groups are not for everyone.

But for many people with Parkinson's disease and their families, a support group can be an excellent resource for gaining useful information about Parkinson's disease. Also, groups give you a place to find people who are going through similar situations and can help you.

It may help to try to maintain some routines. Aim to be as active as possible before the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Try to focus on the present and maintain a positive attitude.

You and your family can also benefit from talking to a mental health professional such as a psychologist or social worker who is trained to work with people with chronic illness.