Managing Chiropractic Patients With Parkinson’s Disease
A tremor here and there is not clinically significant, but it has progressed for a longer period of time, you may want to refer to a neurologist to examine for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Other early signs of PD include, small handwriting, loss of smell, trouble sleeping, trouble moving or walking, constipation and masked face. In this week’s blog, we will talk about Parkinson’s Disease, the symptoms, and the best way for chiropractic patients with Parkinson’s Disease to manage it.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurological disorder that is due to a lack of a neurotransmitter chemical called dopamine in a specific part of the brain. When this chemical begins to run low, that is when we start to see the classic signs and symptoms listed above. Other than age, hereditary traits and sex, the only other possible cause of PD is herbicide and pesticide toxins, however, there is no true cause as to why people develop the condition.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
The signs and symptoms can be different for everyone with PD. Early signs may be mild and go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of your body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect both sides. The classic symptoms of Parkinson’s include severe tremors, shuffling gait, poor movement patterns, bad posture, rigid weak muscles and slurred speech. In later stages of the disease, more sever symptoms may occur with decrease ability in autonomic movements such as blinking, smiling, bathroom habits, etc.
Managing Someone With Parkinson Disease
Just like other neurological disorders, PD is another one that is not curable at this time. Individuals with the disease are usually given powerful drugs that help reduce the symptoms, but as later stages progress, the drugs become more ineffective.
So, what healthcare providers will help manage a Parkinson’s Disease. Did you guess chiropractors? Correct! We are going to do our job and influence the nervous system and allow the body to naturally heal. Other healthcare professionals to helps assist PD patients are physical/occupational therapists, speech therapist, neurologist, and a dietitian. Working with these specialists will all PD patients to acclimate and live a normal and natural lifestyle!
Its also very important to exercise on a regular basis so that muscles can stay strong and blood flow will be well regulated. This in hand will help further delay symptoms and prevent the disease from progressing less. If you have any further questions regarding Parkinson’s Disease please feel free to visit our website at www.drlarrywilkinsspinalcare.com or give us a call at (724) 547-3377.