 | Deb Wetta, RN, is a Director of Marketing/RN liaison for Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of HealthSouth, provider of inpatient and outpatient physical, occupational and speech-language therapies and exclusive home of the AutoAmbulator, Makoto and Interactive Metronome. Deb can be reached at Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, 8338 W. 13th Street in Wichita, 316-729-1140. |
Health & Medicine
2006-08-01 16:46:00
Coping with Parkinson’s disease
QUESTION: My husband has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. What can I expect in the days to come?
ANSWER: Parkinson’s disease is a disorder stemming from massive degeneration of neurons in the brain in the area associated with movement and balance. It is a slowly progressive disease that manifests itself differently from person to person but most generally presents gradually worsening problems over time. Some of the symptoms you may see in the early stages of the disease include: a slow and rhythmic tremor in the hands or other appendages when the person is at rest; a tightness or stiffening of the muscles; a gradual slowing of movement or difficulty in rising, a symptom called “bradykinesia”; and postural instability, which presents as poor balance or lack of coordination. Later symptoms of the disease may also include involuntary movements, changes in sleep patterns, problems with speech or swallowing, and incontinence. While there is currently no cure for the disease, there are a number of treatments producing positive results. In addition to prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as herbal remedies, physical, occupational and speech-language therapies are helping people with Parkinson’s cope with the uncertainties that accompany the disease. For example, some Parkinson’s patients whose steps have become increasingly shorter and ultimately slowed to a shuffle have shown marked improvement through physical therapy that emphasizes gait training. Others, who have experienced difficulty with speaking because of rigidity in the voice muscles, have found help through the Lee Silverman program, which teaches the person to understand the volume at which they must speak in order to be heard. Meanwhile, those with swallowing issues have found positive benefits from speech-language therapy using VitalStim electrical stimulation to strengthen the muscles used for swallowing. In addition to your family physician, your husband would likely benefit from a visit to a neurologist, especially one trained in movement disorders. You may also want to join the local support group. Through this network of like-minded individuals you will find the common ground both you will need as you face the challenges that lie ahead months.
