Treating Parkinson’s
Care plan
One of the most important early actions is to agree a care plan with the healthcare team and family or carers. This should cover the treatments and support needed now and what is likely to be needed in the future. It should be reviewed regularly.
Exercise
Regular exercise is very important in helping to relieve muscle stiffness, improving mental well-being and relieving stress. There are many activities that can be done to help keep fit, ranging from more active sports like tennis, cycling and walking football to less strenuous activities such as walking, gardening and yoga.
See the Events and Activities section of the website to see the physical fitness groups and classes run by Parkinson’s Guernsey.
Weekly sessions
Dietary changes
- Eating more fibre and drinking more fluid in order to reduce the chance of constipation
- Increasing the intake of salt and eating small, frequent meals to reduce the chances of suffering from the effects of low blood pressure, such as dizziness when standing up quickly
- Avoiding unintentional weight loss
Diet advice
Dietary changes recommended by a dietician can help some people by improving certain symptoms.
Supportive therapies
There are several therapies that can make living with Parkinson’s disease easier and help you deal with your symptoms on a day-to-day basis. These should be discussed with the healthcare team.
Physiotherapy
The aim of the physiotherapist is to work with the person with Parkinson’s to relieve muscle stiffness and joint pain through movement (manipulation) and exercise. This should make moving easier and improve walking and flexibility. The physiotherapist will also try to improve fitness levels and the ability to manage things without assistance.
Occupational therapy
An occupational therapist will work with the patient to resolve problems likely to be encountered in everyday life for example in relation to dressing, washing, shopping and getting around. They will help work out practical solutions and ensure the patient’s home is safe and properly set up.This is important to ensure the person with Parkinson’s stays in control and remains independent for as long as possible.
Speech & language therapy
Swallowing difficulty and problems with speech are common symptoms of Parkinson’s. Help can often be provided by a speech and language therapist who can often alleviate these problems by providing speaking and swallowing exercises, or perhaps by offering technological support.
Medication
Medication is often used to relieve the main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as involuntary tremors and other movement problems. However, not everyone benefits from medication and the short, medium and long term effects differ from patient to patient.
The specialist
The medical specialist will be able to discuss the medication options, explain the effects and risks associated with each medication, and recommend which is most appropriate in the circumstances.
It is important that the medication is reviewed regularly as the condition progresses and the patient’s needs change.
Therapies not involving medication
When the symptoms of Parkinson’s become difficult to control with medication alone, a number of other treatments can be considered.
Surgery
Medication is the most common way to treat people with Parkinson’s, although deep brain stimulation, a type of surgery, is used in some cases.
It is not suitable for everyone and, if it is being considered, the specialist will explain the possible risks and benefits. Surgery cannot cure Parkinson’s, but it can ease the symptoms for some people.
Deep brain stimulation
This involves surgically implanting a pulse generator similar to a heart pacemaker into the chest wall or around the stomach area. This is connected to 1 or 2 fine wires placed under the skin which are inserted precisely into specific areas of the brain. A tiny electric current, produced by the pulse generator, runs through the wire and stimulates the part of the brain affected by Parkinson’s. In most cases, it is best at improving motor or movement symptoms.