Parkinson’s disease is a disorder that cannot be completely cured. Sufferers are likely to experience a decrease in quality of life, to difficulty in carrying out daily activities. To overcome these conditions, various forms of treatment are needed. In addition to medical treatment for Parkinson’s, you may also need supportive therapy for this disease. So, what are the forms of therapy?
Various forms of supportive therapy for Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that causes movement disorders. Sufferers can experience a variety of Parkinson’s symptoms, such as tremors, muscle rigidity, slowed movement, etc., including signs that are not related to the motor.
If you usually move with agility, these conditions will certainly be very disturbing. In fact, at an advanced stage, you may experience difficulty walking and talking, so that you can no longer carry out normal activities as usual. In this condition, therapy can help you make it easier to carry out activities and relieve the symptoms you feel.
However, before doing so, you should consult with your doctor to find out the right form of therapy and when you need to undergo this treatment. The reason is, everyone may experience different symptoms and severity, so the treatment needed may not be the same.
Here are some common forms of supportive therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease:
1. Physical therapy or physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is the most common therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease. This type of therapy can help you relieve muscle stiffness and joint pain, making it easier for you to move around. You can also improve your walking ability, flexibility and fitness, and help you carry out activities independently.
To achieve this goal, physiotherapy treatment or physical therapy is usually given to people with Parkinson’s, namely:
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1. Provide education and advice to organize activities independently.
2. Create an exercise program that can improve mobility and quality of life, control stress and fatigue, and slow disease progression.
3. Provide information about the type, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise that is best and right for your condition, including how to do exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease safely.
4. Assist with movement exercises that can strengthen muscles and balance the body to prevent you from falling.
5. Helps make it easier for you to carry out daily activities, such as teaching techniques for walking, turning in bed, or changing positions from sitting to standing and vice versa (especially getting in and out of a car).
6. Determine if you need special equipment to make it easier for you to move safely.
The techniques and forms of exercise given to physical therapy for Parkinson’s can vary. You may be doing exercises such as swinging arms, doing high strides, swinging your arms while walking as you walk, chair marching exercises, body balance exercises, resistance exercises with thick rubber bands, or exercise exercises that use water.
Meanwhile, the sports programs that need to be run also vary. However, what is usually recommended is light exercise, such as walking, swimming, or strength training. Always consult with your therapist to determine the right exercise program and form of exercise.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy can help people with Parkinson’s to perform daily activities that are difficult for them. While undergoing this therapy, the therapist will identify various activities that are difficult for you to do, such as dressing and eating alone or simply going shopping to the nearest store. The therapist will also find solutions to overcome the condition, such as special techniques or equipment that you can use.
Occupational therapists also make sure your home is safe for you to move around, so they can help you work independently for as long as possible. For example, rearranging furniture or home furniture in areas that make it difficult for you, such as the bathroom, kitchen, and others.
Speech and language therapy
Some people with Parkinson’s often have difficulty swallowing and problems with speech or communication, such as difficulty putting thoughts into words or understanding what other people are saying. In this condition, speech and language therapy is needed by people with Parkinson’s to help overcome these problems.
In the early stages of Parkinson’s, a speech and language therapist will focus on maintaining as much of your communication skills as possible. The therapist will develop strategies to help you maintain the volume and rate of speech, breathing, facial expressions, and articulation (pronouncing words clearly).
If communication becomes increasingly difficult, your speech and language therapist will provide suggestions for dealing with it, such as recommending special tools that support spoken communication or offering different ways to communicate in certain situations. For example, use a piece of paper and pencil or a book with keywords and pictures you can point to to communicate.
In addition, through therapy for Parkinson’s, the therapist will help you overcome eating and drinking problems, including difficulty swallowing. For example, suggesting the use of special small equipment to help you carry out the activity.
Diet settings
In addition to the specific therapies above, dietary changes can also help overcome the problem of Parkinson’s symptoms that you are experiencing. Reporting from the NHS, some dietary changes that usually need to be made, namely:
1. Increase the amount of fiber in your daily intake and drink more water to reduce symptoms of constipation or constipation that often occurs.
2. Increase the level of salt in your diet, eat small but frequent meals, especially if you have problems with low blood pressure, including dizziness when you stand up quickly (orthostatic hypotension).
3. Change your diet to avoid weight loss.
In addition, reducing the intake of bad fats and replacing them with omega-3 fatty acids may also be beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease. For more information, you can see a nutritionist or health care professional who is trained to provide dietary and nutritional advice that is appropriate for your condition.
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Music therapy
In addition to the main therapies and dietary changes above, there are other alternative therapies that may be able to help treat your Parkinson’s disease. One of them is music therapy.
Music therapy for Parkinson’s disease can improve symptoms associated with movement, speech, cognitive problems, and mental health, such as depression or anxiety disorders. Through dance, choral, and drumming programs, music therapy can help people with Parkinson’s disease maintain function, express creativity, and have a better quality of life.
This therapy will generally be led by a music therapist. Usually, this therapy is done in groups and begins with warming up the voice before singing. Then, the patients will be asked to sing the song while reading the lyrics on a large screen or on paper that has been distributed. The songs that are sung are usually well known to motivate the participants.
During music therapy, Parkinson’s patients will also practice using rhythm and melody to practice movement. The rhythm that is heard will help the patient to train the coordination of body movements. Similar to gymnastics or dancing, the patient will be asked to move his body according to the beat of the song being played.
In addition to music therapy, you can also do some alternative treatments for Parkinson’s, such as meditation or yoga. However, make sure this form of treatment is appropriate, safe, and appropriate for your condition. Talk to your doctor about this.