Parkinsons Archives

How Long Can a Person Live Without Eating?

Thursday, December 24th, 2009 at 10:01 am  
Comments (5)
rockyarizona asked:


I have mentioned before that my mother is dying, she is very, very thin and at the end of parkinsons disease. She now is eating very little three to five spoonfulls of puree’d food a day if that. and very little water. How long (if anyone knows) can someone survive on that? Your help is once again greatly appreciated.

Kitchen Utensils for Person With Parkinsons Disease Ireland?

Thursday, December 24th, 2009 at 3:44 am  
Comments (1)
Buttons T asked:


I have a close relative with Parkinsons Disease. Is there a shop in Dublin Ireland where I could purchase Kitchen Utensils?

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Complementary Treatments for Parkinson’s Disease

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 5:05 pm  
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Parkinson’s disease does not have a cure. It is a progressive disease that will gain in intensity, as the person grows older. New treatments are discovered that help improve motor function and strides have been made in treating depression and sleep disorders in Parkinson’s patients.

In this day of increased exposure to news sources and medical advice, patients are well educated and proactive about their disease. Alternative therapies are researched and have gained favor over some traditional methods of treatment. For some the use of alternative and complementary treatments are strange and foreign to them. Some are not convinced they are effective and little has been done to test their effectiveness. The National Center for Complementary and alternative Medicine is a government organization that will conduct these tests, as will many universities.

In other cultures the use of alternative treatments are widely accepted such as the use of Tai chi and Yoga. Acupuncture and therapeutic massage are also popular and accepted methods of alternative treatments in some centers that are treating Parkinson’s disease. There is also herbal supplements and therapies but you should be careful about self-medicating yourself or using it instead of prescriptions.

Can antioxidants be helpful in treating Parkinson’s disease? These are substances that can detoxify free radicals that are involved in cell death relating to this disease. Vitamin E is a great source of antioxidants because the body can use it easier than other supplements. Another treatment to consider is Coenzyme Q10. Recommended dosage of Coenzyme Q10 is 1200/mg each day. Lower doses have little effect on patients with Parkinson’s disease. It is expensive but does appear safe and tolerated easily by the body.

Another alternative treatment considered helpful to Parkinson’s patients is Ayurvedic medicine. It is something that has been practiced in India for many thousands of years. It concentrates on total body wellness and joining body, mind and spirit to treat a specific disease or health condition. The system uses methods of detoxification using cleansing therapies and balancing body, mind and spirit using yoga and meditation. One of the cleansing agents is drawn from a legume that contains levodopa. This ingredient has been used for thousands of years and was originally used to treat an old disease that has similar symptoms to Parkinson’s. Yoga is a practice that is associated with Ayurvedic medicine. It uses the same principals and involves breathing, meditation, and proper use of the poses. Body, mind and spirit are the focus of Yoga postures. They can be tailored to fit the physical needs of patients with Parkinson’s disease. As normal with any new exercise routine, consult your doctor before you start.

Parkinson’s patients who are looking to improve their balance and flexibility are good candidates for Yoga as well as Tai Chi, another Eastern alternative medication. Many park districts, senior centers, and physical fitness centers are offering these classes to senior citizens routinely. It is important to start any new program gradually and build to a more advanced level so as not to injure the body.

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Technorati Tags: acupuncture, complementary medicine, Parkinson's Disease, Tai Chi, therapeutic massage, Yoga

Adapting to a Life With Parkinson’s Disease

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 5:03 pm  
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There are many questions to be answered when you have been diagnosed with an illness there is no cure for, and progressively will worsen over time. When patients are first diagnosed they experience disbelief, anger, fear and depression. These feelings are normal and can be used to create a positive attitude for controlling the disease instead of the disease controlling you. New strides are being made in treatment methods but when it comes down to it, you must learn to accept it and make the changes to live with the disease.

You may be afraid to tell people about your disease, worry that it may affect your relationships, jobs, and your privacy and independence. The questions are unending, how will it progress, how fast will it go, what is it going to do to my career and family life. Some questions may be answered by talking with other people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Searching the Internet or the public library is helpful in finding information. You may choose to take part in groups specifically for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Someone who has already gone through the stages you are going through can help you cope and ease the stress and apprehension you experience because of the diagnosis.

Patients with this disease will find their life changing and will need to learn to adapt to changing circumstances. They may have thoughts that are intrusive to them, high levels of anxiety, anger, and may withdraw socially from those around them. They may not be able to handle even small frustrations and may become self-absorbed in their body. If you or someone you love are experiencing these symptoms, they need to be faced and will need courage to seek the help they will need.

Work and private lives will need to be changes. Hobbies you once enjoyed you may have to drop and you will need to find something else that you can enjoy. If you play an instrument, you may need to begin going to concerts, listening to music or songwriting. Adjustments in life styles can be made so you can still enjoy the activities you love. You may choose to play 9 holes of golf instead of 18, and may substitue watching tennis matches instead of playing them.

Each Parkinson’s patient is different and may react to the diagnosis in different ways. Their work habits, normal everyday routines, and relationships may need to be adapted to the progression of their disease. Medication is available to help manage symptoms and you can live a satisfying life and continue to work in your career. You may want to look at your career sensibly and see if changes should be made. Do you need to find a job that requires less fine motor skills? Do you need to look into applying for disability. If your job requires you to work with machines, you may need to talk to your employer and discuss the possibility of changing positions.

Many will be able to meet these challenges head on, others may need to take some time in adjusting to the changes that will come into their lives and of those of their loved ones. There is no right or wrong way to react, it is normal to worry about the future but you will find the support you need from close friends, loved ones, family and support groups. It is important that you have a doctor that you like and trust to guide you through the progression of this disease.

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Parkinson’s Disease

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 1:39 am  
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Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative condition of the nervous system. It can over the course of 10 to 25 years result in total loss of mobility. In all but a few cases of Parkinson’s disease there is no identifiable cause or even any obvious contributing factor.

The onset of Parkinson’s disease is usually between the ages of 50 and 70. The difference in incidence between men and women is not statistically significant. While the symptoms are certainly troublesome and can eventually result in the total loss of mobility, death as a direct result of Parkinson’s disease is uncommon and the life expectancy for a Parkinson’s patient has over the last decade or so grown very close to that of the population in general.

The most common and usually first obvious symptom of Parkinson’s disease is a tremor. The tremor is often observed in the hand and lower arm but tremors of the leg are also quite common. There is a large variation from patient to patient as to where in the body the tremor appears. Early in the disease process the tremor often decreases substantially with muscle activity. For example the tremor will often decrease or appear to go away when a patient reaches for an object. Once the hand is back at rest the tremor will return. It is also unusual to see any tremors during sleep.

Because of the similarity to other diseases the rate of misdiagnosis among all of the conditions that cause tremors is quite high. This is especially true if the diagnosis is made by anyone other than a neurologist who is very familiar with this specific condition and the patients affected by it. Some of the diseases with similar symptoms are supranuclear palsy (PSP), Alzheimer’s disease and essential tremor. Certain types of drugs can even cause Parkinson’s like symptoms. While there is no specific test for Parkinson’s disease, lab and other diagnostic testing may help in the diagnosis and also help to eliminate other possible diseases. You need to remember that while most patients with Parkinson’s disease have tremors not every patient with a tremor has Parkinson’s disease.

Some other common symptoms are muscle stiffness and ache, problems with balance, a shuffling type of step when walking, problems with swallowing and talking, and postural changes. Although these are a few of the more common symptoms, many other symptoms are also possible and may in fact be a significant problem for a given patient.

Drugs therapy is of primary importance in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. There are a number of drugs that can significantly decrease the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. For most patients the drugs are not started early in the disease process but are held until the symptoms begin to affect daily activity. However, new studies are indicating that earlier treatment with certain drugs may slow the progression of the disease so we will probably begin to see drug therapy used earlier in the disease process. Levodopa has been used for years to effectively treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease but newer drugs and questions about negative effects from long term levodopa use have increased interest in and the use of newer drugs.

Surgery can be an option for some patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease or who do not tolerate the medications. Years ago surgery for Parkinson’s disease required attempting to remove specific small areas of the brain that were involved in the symptoms. Today this type of invasive surgery is done only in rare cases. Instead of the old style surgery, the current technique involves implanting electrical stimulators into the brain. These stimulators send electrical impulses through tiny wires deep into the brain and can have a significant positive effect that is more predictable and much safer than the old type of Parkinson’s brain surgery.

Changes in lifestyle will need to be made as the disease progresses. The patient should have an easy access living space (no stairs) safety rails in the bathroom and other modification to make life easier and safer. The patient will also need assistance devices such as a cane, walker or wheelchair as the disease progresses. It may also be beneficial to consider a variety of therapies as necessary. These can include such areas as speech therapy, physical therapy, and certainly in many cases psychological therapy to help deal with some of the difficult psychological adjustments that will need to be made.

Although as accurate as possible, the information in this article may not relate to your particular medical condition and is not intended to be used in the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. In addition any sites to which we link may or may not contain information appropriate to your medical condition.

By: Martin Rossi

About the Author:
To find detailed information about the drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease visit http://healthetopics.com/parkinsons-disease where you will also find links to various support organizations and additional information and news about this disease. You can also find coverage on a variety of other health topics throughout the main http://healthetopics.com website.

The author of this article Martin Rossi is a U.S. licensed pharmacist who is also specialty certified to provide patient education for a number of disease states including asthma and diabetes. He has been in practice for over 20 years in a variety of professional settings and has lectured on and created continuing education programs for a number of health related topics. Martin also holds a MBA degree and has worked part time as a marketing consultant. You can contact the author with questions or comments at the website noted above.

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Technorati Tags: Misdiagnosis, Muscle Activity, Tremors

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