If You Develop A Tremor
Urgent medical care isn’t needed if you have had a tremorâshaking or tremblingâfor some time. But you should discuss the tremor at your next doctor’s appointment.
If a tremor is affecting your daily activities or if it is a new symptom, see your doctor sooner.
A written description will help your doctor make a correct diagnosis. In writing your description, consider the following questions:
- Did the tremor start suddenly or gradually?
- What makes it worse or better?
- What parts of your body are affected?
- Have there been any recent changes in the medicines you are taking or how much you are taking?
How Is It Treated
At this time, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. But there are several types of medicines that can control the symptoms and make the disease easier to live with.
You may not even need treatment if your symptoms are mild. Your doctor may wait to prescribe medicines until your symptoms start to get in the way of your daily life. Your doctor will adjust your medicines as your symptoms get worse. You may need to take several medicines to get the best results.
Levodopa is the best drug for controlling symptoms of Parkinson’s. But it can cause problems if you use it for a long time or at a high dose. So doctors sometimes use other medicines to treat people in the early stages of the disease.
The decision to start taking medicine, and which medicine to take, will be different for each person. Your doctor will be able to help you make these choices.
In some cases, a treatment called deep brain stimulation may also be used. For this treatment, a surgeon places wires in your brain. The wires carry tiny electrical signals to the parts of the brain that control movement. These little signals can help those parts of the brain work better.
There are many things you can do at home that can help you stay as independent and healthy as possible. Eat healthy foods. Get the rest you need. Make wise use of your energy. Get some exercise every day. Physical therapy and occupational therapy can also help.
Tips For People With Parkinsons Who Want To Take Over The Counter Medications During Flu Season
People with PD often tell us that when they get sick with cold and flu-like symptoms, their pharmacist and healthcare professionals warn them to stay away from the medication aisle of the pharmacy. They are told that any over-the-counter medication has the potential to worsen Parkinsons symptoms. Unfortunately, many people interpret this potential worsening as a recommendation to never use these medications.
Also contributing to this issue is a series of reports that medications such as anticholinergics may cause acute confusion and even contribute to long-term cognitive changes. It is important to keep in mind when selecting a cough or flu medication that the intent is not to treat long-term issues.
This flu season we wanted to provide the PD community with some tips to help you navigate Parkinsons while simultaneously addressing cold and flu symptoms:
In 2014, Kim Painter wrote a great article in the USA Today to help individuals and families stay safe in the cold and flu aisle.
Here are some of Kims tips:
- Treat only symptoms you have and be wary of multi-symptom products.
- Know your dose and dont overdose.
- Know your health risks .
Don’t Miss: Zhichan Capsule
How Will Parkinson’s Disease Affect Your Life
Finding out that you have a long-term, progressive disease can lead to a wide range of feelings. You may feel angry, afraid, sad, or worried about what lies ahead. It may help to keep a few things in mind:
- Usually this disease progresses slowly. Some people live for many years with only minor symptoms.
- Many people are able to keep working for years. As the disease gets worse, you may need to change how you work.
- It is important to take an active role in your health care. Find a doctor you trust and can work with.
- Depression is common in people who have Parkinson’s. If you feel very sad or hopeless, talk to your doctor or see a counsellor.
- It can make a big difference to know that you’re not alone. Ask your doctor about Parkinson’s support groups, or look for online groups or message boards.
- Parkinson’s affects more than just the person who has it. It also affects your loved ones. Be sure to include them in your decisions.
Indirect Impact Of Covid
Disruptions to global health care systems
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly caused disruptions in health care systems which can have indirect effects on PD patients. Neurologists are essential in the circle of care for PD patients and it is important to think about how their impact from COVID-19 can have subsequent effects on patients. Like many health care providers, neurologists are at risk of exposure to COVID-19 patients and if infected, they will be restricted in their ability to provide care for PD patients. In some regions where there is a shortage of medical staff, some neurologists may also be forced to provide care for COVID-19 patients, which ultimately leads to less time spent caring for PD patients as well . In many medical communities, nonurgent surgical procedures have been postponed to prevent patients from being infected. Regarding PD patients, elective surgical procedures like deep brain stimulation have been delayed, as well as the initiation of LCIG and apomorphine pump . These delays create barriers for PD patients from accessing vital medications that can control their condition, which can possibly lead to worsened symptoms. Fortunately, there has been no report so far on the impact of the pandemic on global medication transport and supply chain issues for PD patients .
The transition to virtual PD patient care
Social distancing effects on PD patients mental health
Delays to novel PD drug therapies due to COVID-19
You May Like: Judy Woodruff Health Problems
Selegiline May Cause Side Effects Tell Your Doctor If Any Of These Symptoms Are Severe Or Do Not Go Away:
- dizziness
- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- unusual dreams
- pain, especially in the legs or back
- muscle pain or weakness
- uncontrollable shaking of a part of your body
- unusual movements that are difficult to control
- hallucinations
- difficulty breathing
People who have PD may have an increased risk of developing melanoma . There is not enough information to tell whether selegiline or other medications for PD increase the risk of melanoma. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking selegiline and about whether you should have your skin examined during your treatment.
Selegiline may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.
What Do I Need To Tell My Doctor Before I Take This Drug
- If you are allergic to this drug any part of this drug or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.
- If you have taken certain drugs for depression or Parkinsons disease in the last 14 days. This includes isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline, or rasagiline. Very high blood pressure may happen.
- If you have a cough with a lot of mucus, a long-term cough caused by smoking or being around smoke, or lung problems like asthma or emphysema.
This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this drug with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.
Also Check: Parkinson Bicycle Cleveland Clinic
Swallowing Exercises Can Be Very Helpful To Improve Your Swallowing
After a formal swallow assessment, swallowing therapy sessions can be designed for you, involving exercises tailored to the specific parts of your mouth and throat that are causing the swallowing problem. Sessions may involve practicing compensatory swallowing strategies with various types of foods in order to maximize safety and efficiency while swallowing.
During swallow therapy, recommendations may include:
- Best feeding techniques
- Exercises to strengthen oral and throat muscles
- Compensatory techniques to assist in safe swallowing
- Oral and mouth care techniques
- Appropriate food selection and ways to modify food texture
- Safe positioning strategies
How Is Parkinson’s Disease Managed
Your doctors will tailor your treatment based on your individual circumstances. You will manage your condition best if you have the support of a team, which may include a general practitioner, neurologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, specialist nurse and dietitian.
While there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, symptoms can be treated with a combination of the following.
Recommended Reading: Voice Amplifiers For Parkinson’s
Before Taking This Medicine
You should not take Azilect if you are allergic to rasagiline.
Do not use Azilect if you have used any other MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.
Many drugs can interact and cause dangerous effects. Some drugs should not be used together with Azilect. Your doctor may change your treatment plan if you also use:
-
if you take ciprofloxacin .
People with Parkinsons disease may have a higher risk of skin cancer . Ask your doctor about skin symptoms to watch for.
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It may not be safe to breast-feed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.
Recommended Reading: Does Vitamin B12 Help Parkinsons
How Are Speech Problems Treated
There are many options to help improve your speech. A speech-language pathologist can help you pick the right approaches for you. Speech-language pathologists are trained health care professionals who specialize in evaluating and treating people with speech, swallowing, voice, and language problems.
Ask your doctor for a referral to a speech-language pathologist. It is also important to contact your health insurance company to find out what therapy and procedures are eligible for reimbursement and to find a list of SLPs covered by your plan. Finally, visit a SLP who has experience treating people with PD.
Read Also: Parkinson’s Hallucinations Commercial
No Wonder They Hurt Coughs Can Eject Air From Your Lungs At 500 Mph
A cough is your bodys attempt to rid itself of something that is irritating your airways.
You will be familiar with coughs associated with the common cold and the flu, but there are many other reasons for coughs.
Other infections including pneumonia, tuberculosis and whooping cough can certainly cause coughs. But so can allergies, gastro-intestinal reflux disease , smoking, asthma, bronchitis, and even chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.
Parkinsons disease weakens the muscles that co-ordinate breathing and swallowing, thereby increasing the risk for coughing. Cystic fibrosis has cough as one of its symptoms. Choking, laryngitis, and even smoke from a fire can cause coughing.
A cough can be acute, that is, it occurs for example with a cold or the flu but then disappears because the cause is resolved. Conversely chronic coughs continue, perhaps because of ongoing exposure to an irritant such as smoking or underlying damage to airways.
A cough that lasts for more than three weeks is considered chronic, which includes about half of all cases.
Coughs can also be wet or dry, in that they do not produce any phlegm. More chronic coughs are considered dry, hacking coughs.
Coughs can disturb your sleep, cause headaches, result in urinary incontinence, and in some extreme situations increase your risk for broken ribs. When you consider that a cough expels air from your body at up to 500 miles per hour, you can appreciate the broken-rib risk.
How Is Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and your past health and will do a neurological examination. This examination includes questions and tests that show how well your nerves are working. For example, your doctor will watch how you move, check your muscle strength and reflexes, and check your vision.
Your doctor will also ask questions about your mood.
In some cases, your doctor may have you try a medicine. How this medicine works may help your doctor know if you have Parkinson’s disease.
There are no lab or blood tests that can help your doctor know whether you have Parkinson’s. But you may have tests to help your doctor rule out other diseases that could be causing your symptoms. For example, you might have an MRI to look for signs of a stroke or brain tumour.
You May Like: What Foods Should Be Avoided When Taking Levodopa
What Are The Symptoms Of Covid
Common symptoms of COVID-19 begin two to 14 days after exposure. They include fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Other symptoms include loss of taste or smell, nasal congestion, sore throat, muscle and joint pain, chills, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.
Most of these symptoms are usually mild, and about 80% of people who get the virus will typically recover without needing any special treatment.
However, it is estimated that about 15% become seriously ill and develop breathing difficulties, and 5% become critically ill and require intensive care. Symptoms of serious COVID-19 include shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and pain or pressure in the chest.
People over the age of 60 and those with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, heart and lung issues, cancer, and high blood pressure are most at risk of becoming seriously ill.
What Is Expiratory Muscle Strength Training
Expiratory muscle strength training was first developed for high school band students to increase exhalation strength.
It involves people blowing into a device against resistance. Its a bit like blowing into a large straw but instead of the breath passing freely through the straw, the air encounters resistance. You find you have to blow harder, which helps strengthen the target muscles.
Just like a gym workout, people repeat this action multiple times and do this training five times a week.
Since its development, some studies by other researchers have found this training not only increases exhalation strength but also improves cough strength and the swallow. Problems with coughing and swallowing are difficulties often experienced by people with Parkinsons.
We were interested to know whether this training also resulted in improvements in drooling.
You May Like: Fitflop Shoes For Parkinson’s
Your Home And Lifestyle
- Modify your activities and your home. For example, simplify your daily activities, and change the location of furniture so that you can hold on to something as you move around the house.
- Eat healthy foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, legumes, poultry, fish, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products.
- Exercise and do physiotherapy. They have benefits in both early and advanced stages of the disease.
What Are The Symptoms
The four main symptoms of Parkinson’s are:
- Tremor, which means shaking or trembling. Tremor may affect your hands, arms, or legs.
- Stiff muscles.
- Slow movement.
- Problems with balance or walking.
Tremor may be the first symptom you notice. It’s one of the most common signs of the disease, although not everyone has it.
More importantly, not everyone with a tremor has Parkinson’s disease.
Tremor often starts in just one arm or leg or on only one side of the body. It may be worse when you are awake but not moving the affected arm or leg. It may get better when you move the limb or you are asleep.
In time, Parkinson’s affects muscles all through your body, so it can lead to problems like trouble swallowing or constipation.
In the later stages of the disease, a person with Parkinson’s may have a fixed or blank expression, trouble speaking, and other problems. Some people also lose mental skills .
People usually start to have symptoms between the ages of 50 and 60. But sometimes symptoms start earlier.
Recommended Reading: Does Vitamin B12 Help Parkinson’s
How To Use Nasal Decongestant Pd Capsule Extended Release
Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor. If you are self-treating, follow all directions on the product package. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
This medication may be taken with food if stomach upset occurs. Drink plenty of fluids unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
If you are using the liquid form of this medication, carefully measure the dose using a special measuring device/spoon. Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose. If your liquid form is a suspension, shake the bottle well before each dose.
Do not crush or chew extended-release tablets or capsules. Doing so can release all of the drug at once, increasing the risk of side effects. Also, do not split extended-release tablets unless they have a score line and your doctor or pharmacist tells you to do so. Swallow the whole or split tablet without crushing or chewing.
If you are using chewable tablets, chew each tablet thoroughly before swallowing.
If you are using a product made to dissolve in the mouth , dry your hands before handling the medication. Place each dose on the tongue and allow to dissolve completely, then swallow it with saliva or with water.
Dosage is based on the product you are taking and your age, medical condition, and response to treatment. Do not increase your dose or take this medication more often than directed without your doctors approval. Improper use of this medication may result in serious harm .
Swallowing Difficulties In Parkinsons Disease
The act of swallowing involves a complex series of activities that begin in the mouth, continue in the pharynx and end in the esophagus. These include chewing, using the tongue to move the bolus of food to the back of the throat and then coordinating the muscles that both propel the food into the esophagus and protect the airway or trachea from food penetration. Swallowing dysfunction can be considered both a motor and a non-motor symptom of PD. Loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra area of the brain can cause the motor dysfunction that impairs swallowing. However, loss of neurons in other areas of the brain, such as the cortex and lower brain stem can also affect the overall control and coordination of swallowing, and can be thought of as a non-motor symptom of PD. Swallowing issues are very important to diagnose. Impacts on your daily life and your health can range from difficulties with meals to more extreme cases where it could lead to choking and aspiration which can be very serious or even fatal.
You May Like: Does Sam Waterston Have Parkinsons