The Parkinson’s Foundation Guide to Parkinson’s Awareness Month
This April, the Parkinson's Foundation wants to introduce you to PAM, your guide to Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Throughout the month, PAM will help raise Parkinson's disease (PD) awareness by addressing key Parkinson’s topics. Each week at Parkinson.org/Awareness, PAM will share essential tips and resources to give people helpful information on PD.
To get started, below are the top three topics everyone should know about PD:
#1: Know the 10 early signs of Parkinson’s
It can be hard to tell if you or a loved one has PD. With early detection, treatment and expert care, many people live long, productive lives with Parkinson’s.
The 10 early signs of Parkinson’s include:
1. Tremors, often in the hands or fingers
2. Small handwriting
3. Loss of smell
4. Trouble sleeping
5. Trouble moving or walking, including stiffness and balance problems
6. Constipation
7. A soft or low voice
8. Facial Masking: a reduction of facial expressions
9. Dizziness or fainting
10. Stooping or hunching over
No single one of these signs means that you should worry, but if you have more than one sign, consider making an appointment with your doctor.
Learn more about the early signs of Parkinson's.
#2: PD Symptoms 101 & Managing Them
Parkinson’s symptoms vary widely from person to person. While there are common symptoms associated with PD, everyone’s experience is unique. Symptoms of Parkinson’s fall into two main categories: movement and non-movement.
Common movement-related symptoms include tremors, slowness of movement (called Bradykinesia), balance issues and stiffness (called rigidity).
Non-movement symptoms include anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disorders, among many others. Most people may not know that non-movement symptoms are common and the majority of people with PD find them more troublesome and disabling than movement symptoms.
These are only a few examples of symptoms someone with PD may experience. Finding the right combination of medications, complementary therapies, exercise, support systems and strategies for maintaining independence can help those with Parkinson’s lead a fulfilling life.
Here are some tips to help manage PD symptoms:
· Build Your Care Team: Taking a patient-centered approach to healthcare is essential to living well with Parkinson’s. Since people experience Parkinson’s differently, building a diverse team of health experts allows you to manage your unique PD symptoms — and maximize your quality of life.
· Exercise: People with Parkinson’s who exercise for 2.5 hours per week experience a slowed decline in quality of life. Verified exercise strategies can keep you moving well.
· Medication: Since most Parkinson’s symptoms are caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain, many Parkinson’s drugs are aimed at either temporarily replenishing dopamine or mimicking the action of dopamine.
· Diet & Nutrition: Food (what you eat, how much and when) can impact how you live well with Parkinson’s.
Learn more about the movement and non-movement symptoms of Parkinson's.
#3: Getting Involved In PD Research
The only path to a cure is through accelerating research. While there’s still a lot we don’t know about this disease, the Parkinson’s Foundation is working to close the gaps in PD knowledge. Through funding innovative researchers worldwide who look at many aspects of PD, to offering research studies for people with Parkinson’s, the Parkinson’s Foundation is committed to advancing the understanding of PD and accelerating progress.
Did you know the global genetics study PD GENEration: Mapping the future of Parkinson’s Disease offers genetic testing and counseling at no cost to people with Parkinson’s? The Parkinson’s Foundation study is leading the way to empower participants with more information about their disease and help them find new clinical trials that look for people with specific PD-related genetic mutations. Learn more and enroll here.
Explore Parkinson’s research studies on the Foundation's Join a Study page.
Visit Parkinson.org/Awareness to learn how you can help raise Parkinson's awareness right now.
#4: Go-To Parkinson’s Resources That Can Help You
Parkinson’s Awareness Month is the perfect time to make sure you are taking advantage of the free Parkinson’s Foundation tools that can help you and your loved one navigate Parkinson’s. Start with these:
1. Helpline — Get answers to your PD questions and referrals to local healthcare professionals and wellness programs. Contact 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) or Helpline@Parkinson.org.
2. Local Chapter — Build connections in your community. Find your Parkinson’s Foundation chapter to sign up for local events.
3. Learning Lab — Learn about the latest PD information from experts. Each free course shares tips for daily living and resources. Find a course that interests you.
4. PD Health @ Home Events — Register for new, weekly online events and explore our on-demand at-home exercise classes. Register now.
5. Parkinson.org — Explore every stage, symptom and the latest research findings. Visit Parkinson.org.
The Parkinson’s Foundation is a Champion Partner of the World Parkinson Coalition®. They helped to launch the Coalition in 2004 and have been generously housing the WPC for more than 20 years. Call the Parkinson’s Foundation free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636) or visit Parkinson.org.
Ideas and opinions expressed in this post reflect that of the author(s) solely. They do not reflect the opinions or positions of the World Parkinson Coalition®