Parkinson's disease is a disease associated with a range of mild to severe symptoms. These symptoms include tremors, slow and jerky movements, some stiffness, and severe balance problems. But the condition, called dyskinesia, is linked to a specific drug commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease.
Movement disorders, also known as involuntary and uncontrolled movements, vary in severity from person to person. It may look like nothing more than fidgeting or shaking. For many people, movement disorders are more manageable than other symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Therefore, it is worth tolerating them, as the drug has a beneficial effect on some of the other symptoms of this terrible disease.
This list of eight things people with movement disorders should know is also a valuable resource for the friends and family of the patient.
1. Adjust timing
Another adjustment to medication use that patients with movement disorders may wish to make has to do with the timing of medication administration. Careful consideration of the timing of drug intake is essential because of the wear-out effect, or phenomenon, whereby some patients perceive the impact of a drug to end at various times after taking the medication.
The doctor may then decide to divide the daily drug intake into smaller or more frequent doses to prevent the duration of the drug from becoming an issue in the first place.
Again, this is something people with movement disorders need to know about, as they may need to be made aware of options for adjustments and changes in the medications used to treat their condition and may not know when adjustments and changes are possible in their medications. When it comes to conditions like movement disorders, knowledge is absolute power.
2. Discuss changing the dose of your medicine with your doctor
Levodopa has been identified as a drug that is more likely to cause side effects (such as dyskinesia) when taken in moderate to high doses. It is believed that doses greater than 600 mg per day over a more extended period are associated with more diagnoses of movement disorders.
With this in mind, finding the lowest dose that still allows a person to maintain control of symptoms is essential. Doctors will have to figure this out through trial and error, perhaps giving a person a low dose first and then carefully and gradually increasing the amount as needed.
This is essential information for people with movement disorders, as in many cases, there is a tendency to follow the doctor's advice without investigating the effects of these or other options that may be available.
3. Are you taking any other medicines for Parkinson's disease
Another thing people with movement disorders may not realize is that taking additional medications to treat Parkinson's disease may be necessary for reducing the severity of symptoms.
For example, it is believed that taking a dopamine agonist can allow doctors to reduce the prescribed dose of levodopa, which can help reduce the severity of some movement disorder symptoms.
Unlike dyskinesias, in which levodopa is caused and converted to dopamine in the brain, dopamine agonists mimic the effects of any naturally occurring dopamine.
The last three points are all about drug abuse, which should never be taken lightly and should be done in consultation with a doctor. Still, they are all valuable information for understanding movement disorders, both for those directly affected and their patients: caregivers and those living with them.
4. Discuss continuous infusions with your doctor
A simple way to eliminate drug delivery and potential fluctuations in natural or supplemental dopamine levels is continuous drug delivery through systems such as the duodenal intravenous injection, in which the drug is passed directly into the body through a tube in the gut at carefully monitored intervals or through continuous flow.
While methods that allow for continuous flow and the infusion can be potentially invasive, even a little intrusive, to affected individuals, they are an excellent way of ensuring a healthy and constant supply of medications that a person needs to function normally and effectively.
Since such systems can be complicated and expensive, many people with movement disorders don't know much about things like the continuous infusion of medication, which is a shame because it can be an effective treatment for the disease, regardless of movement disorder. How challenging.
5. Consider deep brain stimulation
Doctors may eventually conclude that some type of surgery is worth recommending for the most severe and life-threatening symptoms and those that do not improve with medication.
These surgical treatments, such as deep brain stimulation, typically involve attaching thin wires to targeted and specific parts of the brain, through which electrical impulses are delivered to control movement. Interestingly, this has been shown to reduce the impact of symptoms by up to 80%.
After such a procedure, as long as there are no serious complications, most people can reduce their need for medication, which many people with movement disorders may find almost impossible. Again, knowledge is power, and only with a good understanding of the options available to people with movement disorders can one figure out the best way to address the problem.
6. Adjust your diet
About this advice, it is essential to note that no specific diet can help with movement disorders. However, many small dietary changes can affect how the body absorbs and uses levodopa.
Since levodopa is one of the main building blocks of protein, the body absorbs it with dietary protein. This means that if you eat a high-protein meal while taking levodopa pills, your body will not be able to absorb the drug successfully. This suggests that patients with movement disorders should be on a low-protein diet, and much evidence supports this notion.
One issue is that protein is clearly one of the essential elements of a healthy balanced diet, so it is advisable to consult various professionals in the health and nutrition community before making any significant dietary changes.
7. Reduce stress
Since a person's movement disorders tend to worsen during times of high stress, learning how to regulate their stress levels effectively can help reduce their symptoms.
For example, if a person tries breathing exercises or even meditation, they may find that their ability to manage stress has benefits beyond managing movement disorders. Spending more time with family or friends has been proven to be a great way to lower stress levels, and even listening to music is scientifically and anecdotally successful at reducing stress levels.
Anyone can benefit from lowering their stress levels, especially when everything seems to be moving at a million miles an hour. Still, for people with movement disorders, it can be very beneficial for their condition as well as other ailments in life in general.
8. Practice cardio
Swimming, rowing, and cycling are some of the best forms of aerobic exercise for people with movement disorders. The overall good feeling that comes with practice can positively affect the entire body and brain, as natural endorphins and dopamine help balance hormones.
Exercise is a must for people of all ages, especially in a world where our lifestyles have become increasingly sedentary. Similar to diet, no amount of aerobic exercise can cure any movement disorder, but it can go a long way toward making them feel better and live happy, healthy lives while managing their condition and diet-related symptoms.
The list of things you should know about movement disorders is far from exhaustive, but it is a good starting point for patients and their families to do their research.
