Parkinson's Disease
What is it?
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder of the nervous system that gets worse over time. There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease. As the disease progresses and nerve cells in parts of the brain weaken, are damaged or die people may begin to notice problems with movement, tremor, stiffness or impaired balance. As these symptoms progress this can lead to difficulty in walking, talking or completing simple everyday tasks.
Common Side Effects Include:
- Tremor – Shaking which often begins in the hand but can affect any part of the body.
Rigidity – Muscle stiffness or a resistance to movement. The muscles remain constantly tense, which can lead to aches and pains.
Bradykinesia – This is a slowing down of spontaneous and automatic movement that can be particularly frustrating because it makes everyday tasks more difficult.
Postural instability – Impaired balance and changes in posture can lead to increased risk of falls.
How Can We Help?
Cortex Physiotherapy will help you to move freely and live fully. The presentation of Parkinson’s disease will differ in each individual and will change over time. There may not be a cure for Parkinson’s disease but that doesn’t mean you should let it take control of your life. Cortex Physiotherapy cannot provide a cure for your condition but we can help you to take charge of it. Due to the progressive nature of the disease our main focus will be on symptom management and life optimisation.
We will provide treatment to manage your symptoms in order to optimise the quality of your life and will also help you to develop compensatory strategies to use what you have to achieve what you want. Improvement is heavily dependent on the individual challenging themselves and committing themselves to the rehabilitation programme provided by Cortex Physiotherapy.
Potential for improvement is something that is very difficult to determine and each individual case will be different. Cortex Physiotherapy will always have an open and honest discussion about potential for improvement and this will be regularly monitored and discussed to ensure that you and your therapist are working as a team. You will receive a full neurological examination to determine where your individual problems lie, after this you and your therapist will have a discussion about what matters most to you. Your therapist will then tailor your treatment to your goals and your journey to the life you want begins.