Parkinson’s disease is also known as nervous system disorder. This disease affects the patient’s body and ability to control movement. The signs and symptoms of this disease occur because of the low dopamine levels in the brain. The patient with Parkinson’s disease may experience muscle stiffness, shake and difficulties in walking. This issue begins out slowly and worsens over time. As this condition worsens, the patient may have problems like sleeping, talking, moving, memory issues, mental issues, and experience mood change issues. It is a lifelong involving neurological issue in the human body. Scientists don’t know why Parkinson’s disease happens. However, environmental and genetic factors may play a vital role in promoting Parkinson’s disease. Exposure to toxins and past traumatic brain injuries can also develop this disease.
Signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
- Changes in movement
- Balance and coordination impairment
- Fixed facial expression
- The slowness of movement (Bradykinesia)
- Softer voice or a voice tremor
- Gait changes
- Muscle twisting
- A loss of sense of smell
- Stooped posture
- Unable to do everyday activities
- Unable to walk and stand
- Depression
- Mood changes
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Difficulty swallowing and chewing
- Skin issues
- Hallucination
- Delusion
- Dementia
- Urinary issues
- Memory issues
- Mental problems
- Dandruff
- Pain in the body
- Vision changes
- Low blood pressure
- More cramped
- Smaller handwriting
- Sleep issues
- Rapid eye movement disorder
Having these signs doesn’t mean an individual has Parkinson’s disease. Different problems can have the same symptoms, such as stroke, head trauma, Parkinsonism, multiple system atrophy, and progressive supranuclear palsy. There are no tests for Parkinson’s disease. It is hard to diagnose Parkinson’s disease in the early stage.
Causes of Parkinson’s disease
It is a neurological disorder, and it can occur due to changes in the brain. Different factors and conditions contribute to Parkinson’s disease. Some causes of Parkinson’s disease are given below:
- Low norepinephrine levels
- Low dopamine levels
- Lewy bodies
- Autoimmune factor
- Genetic factors
Different stages of Parkinson’s disease
Not everyone faces all symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Every person with this disease experiences signs of Parkinson’s disease in their unique way. The signs and symptoms of this problem may vary from person to person. There are different stages of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease progresses from early-stage to advanced-stage (last stage). These are what usually happens during each of these stages:
Early-stage:
In the early stage, this disease happens slowly. The early stage of Parkinson’s disease doesn’t interfere with everyday activities. You may think the early signs are just common signs of aging.
It is challenging to find Parkinson’s disease in the early stage. In this stage, you may have difficulty in standing or feel a slight tremor. Your family members or friends may notice some things such as a lack of expression on your face, slow or small handwriting, and lack of normal movement.
Mid-stage:
In the mid-stage of Parkinson’s disease, the problems start getting worse. Movement issues, muscle stiffness, and tremor problems may now affect both sides of the body. You may still be fully healthy, but regular work of everyday living like gardening, morning walk, dressing, and bathing may be challenging to do and take time to complete. In this phase, balance issues and falls occur regularly.
Mid-late stage
In the mid-late stage, you may require help with a walker and another device. Walking and standing without any support may become more complex. You may also need full-time assistance to complete your regular work.
Advanced stage
It is the last stage of Parkinson’s disease. In this stage, you may require a wheelchair. You may also experience delusions or hallucinations.
Complications
- As your Parkinson’s disease progresses, you may find difficulties with swallowing.
- You may also face thinking problems and cognitive issues.
- In the early stage, you may start experiencing depression and mood changes.
- The advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease affects the muscles in your mouth. You may find difficulties in eating.
- People with Parkinson’s disease develop constipation
- It may also create bladder issues. You may face urinating problems.
- With this disease, you may suffer from sleep issues.
- Due to sudden blood pressure changes, you may feel lightheaded or dizzy
- It can decrease your sexual performance or desire.
- You may find difficulties in smell.
- It reduces your body strength and energy.
Parkinson’s disease is treatable. It means you can reduce the effects of these diseases through a practical and proper treatment plan. A healthy diet, regular exercise may all assist you in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Avoiding pain and these symptoms can ruin your active life. It can also affect your whole body and regular activities.
If you have any signs and symptoms of this neurological disease, you should consult with your local health care provider. Their experience and knowledge can help you in a better manner. They may also suggest physical therapy treatment to treat your neurological condition.
Experienced physical therapists can reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Physical therapy treatment is a practical and 100% natural approach to treating various physical conditions, disabilities, and illnesses. If you have Parkinson’s disease, a skilled and trained physical therapist can assist you. Physical therapists are one-on-one care service providers who enhance the quality of life through patient education, hands-on care, and prescribed exercises.
They analyze patient’s conditions and treat them with the help of personalized treatment. Physical therapists treat individuals of all ages, from kids to older adults. A physical therapist can help to avoid the use of medication and surgery to improve your health condition. Your physical therapy treatment can assist you with pain, fatigue, lack of coordination, balance problems, immobility, gait, and weakness.
The goal of physical therapy is to enhance your range of motion, improve your strength, regain your ability to do regular work, and improve balance. PT helps people maintain or regain their independence, achieve their fitness goals, restore body function, manage or reduce pain and prevent further injuries. An effective therapy treatment can help you regain your active life and allow you to become independent.
How does PT assist Parkinson’s disease?
At your first visit, your physical therapist may ask various questions related to your correct condition. A physical therapist will look for muscle rigidity and tremor symptoms, check your posture and coordination and measure your walk and slowness of your movement. They may also perform some tests to check your ability to move, range of motion, pain level, strength level, balance, and more. After diagnosing and collecting the required information, they will create a personalized physical therapy treatment plan to treat Parkinson’s disease. They will include various strengthening and stretching exercises in your treatment plan. It also decreases the risk of falls and reduces depression. Your personalized PT treatment can help you in different ways, including:
- Builds up weakened muscles to regain full function
- Relieve any muscle pain, spasm, or stiffness
- Massaging to increase the blood circulation
- Warming up scarred soft or stiff tissues before stretching the muscles
- Stretching muscles and ligaments to improve range of movement
- Breaking down scar tissue
- Enhancing the strength of muscle
- Improve the ability to do work and activities
- You can prevent harmful and addictive medications
- Rehab after surgery, injury, and accident
- Allows you to stay fit and offer an active life
- Improve mobility
- The safest alternative to treat Parkinson’s disease
- Help you to save money
- Eliminate pain from root
- Restore the strength
- Maintain the fitness
- Build dynamic strengthening of muscles
- Enable you to understand the actual health condition
- Preventing your condition from getting worse
- Help you to maintain the functionality of your body
- Increase blood circulation
- Improve your posture
- Enhance the range of motion
- Build strategies to avoid pain from recurring
- Improve the flexibility
- You can do exercises at any time
- Decrease stiffness and pain
- Improve the posture and function
- Improve the quality of life
- Improve balance
- Prevent from injuries
Effective physical therapy treatment for Parkinson’s disease
Physical therapy treatment can treat a wide range of movement and ailment disorders. Your physical therapist may utilize various physical therapists treatments to ease the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Some effective PT treatments for Parkinson’s disease are given below:
Massage therapy:
Massage therapy is one of the oldest and standard treatment techniques. Physical therapists utilize massage therapy to improve the flow of lymph and blood. Experienced and skilled expert manipulates the soft tissues of the body by applying gentle pressure and movement. Many experts suggest massage therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease. There are different benefits of massage therapy, such as increasing joint and limb flexibility, reducing muscle tension and stiffness, relieving muscle spasms, increasing the range of motion, reducing pain, promoting deep breathing, and reducing stress.
Strengthening and stretching therapy:
Physical therapy treatment includes some stretching and strengthening exercises. These exercises increase the recovery speed and make you stronger.
Stretching is used to keep your muscles strong, flexible, and healthy. Physical therapists assist you in improving your range of motion through stretching exercises.
Examples of stretching exercises:
- Side lunge stretch
- Calf stretch
- Shoulder and chest stretch
- Glute Bridge
- Standing quad stretch
- Cobra
- Standing hip flexor stretch
- Butterfly stretch
- Standing hamstring stretch
- Lying knee to chest stretch
Strengthening exercises also play a vital role in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Physical therapists will assist you in becoming stronger and prevent further injuries. Strengthening exercises help to increase the strength of muscle and regain the ability to do regular activities. With this therapy treatment, you can improve your group of joints and muscles and maximize your movement.
Examples of strengthening exercise
- Squat
- Lateral lunge
- Bulgarian split squat
- Glute Bridge
- Military press
- Push-ups
- Triceps extension
- Push-up with elevated arm
- Plank up-down
- Burpee with push-up
Hot and cold therapy:
Hot and cold therapy is used to reduce pain and improve recovery speed. Physical therapists utilize heat applications to increase blood flow in your body. With the hot application, you can warm up your stiff tissues or muscles.
They use the cold application to reduce stiffness and pain management. If you have unmanageable pain due to Parkinson’s disease, you can consider hot and cold therapy.
Ultrasound therapy:
High-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS) can help you to ease the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. This therapy technique includes the application of ultrasound waves. Physical therapists utilize this technique to break down scar tissues and enhance the flow of blood. An ultrasound device is used to send sound waves to the patient’s body. This process increases friction and promotes the healing process. Ultrasound therapy can offer deep healing, restore full range of motion, increase flexibility and reduce your pain.
Where do you get PT?
Most hospitals offer physical therapy treatment to treat many physical disorders such as back pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, joint pain, sports injuries, Parkinson’s disease, etc. You can also get physical therapy treatment from different places such as:
- Outpatient clinics
- Sports and fitness center
- Private home
- Clinics
- Private medical office
- Schools and colleges
- Rehabilitation care center
- Workplace
- Nursing homes
Final words:
Physical therapy treatment is a cost-effective treatment to treat your Parkinson’s disease. With the help of PT, you can ease the symptoms of this disease from the root. Your physical therapists also offer some home-based exercises that will help you increase recovery speed and improve the quality of your life. They will also guild you to maintain safety while doing exercises and activities. Physical therapists are dedicated to offering high-quality rehabilitation care. They will work with you to measure your progress and recovery speed.