The Best Rehab Therapy for Someone with Parkinson’s

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can vary in type and severity, affecting each individual differently. Regardless of the issues you’re dealing with, rehab therapies can help you manage the condition. These therapies are tailored to meet your specific needs and goals. Let’s take a closer look at each of the therapy options for Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s is known as a “motor” disease, so it affects many of your movements. Not only does it disrupt how you move, but it also alters your ability to do so at your usual pace. Many individuals suffer from tremors, balance issues, and rigidity or stiffness in their muscles and joints.

Those with Parkinson’s require rehab therapy to help delay, reduce, or manage these issues. Physical therapy is the best option for such problems, using training and exercise to improve or maintain your current symptoms. It can also slow the progression of new symptoms in some people, preventing the disease from advancing too rapidly.

Physical therapy includes exercise routines designed to improve mobility and increase strength. It helps with walking, moving about your home, or managing stairs. This rehab therapy also helps with gait freezing, making it easier to begin movements and preventing the glued-to-the-floor feeling.

Physical therapy has other benefits for those with Parkinson’s as well. It helps with balance, stability, and posture. Fall prevention and pain management are also essential parts of physical therapy. Therapists offer education and address any concerns or fears you may have about the condition.

Like physical therapy, occupational therapy uses exercises to manage Parkinson’s symptoms, though it focuses on specific skills. Some signs of Parkinson’s disease include the loss of automatic movements, writing changes, and difficulty performing daily tasks.

As a rehab therapy for Parkinson’s, occupational therapy helps an individual retrain the mind and body to perform such activities. It involves hand and finger exercises, walking, rising from a chair, and getting in and out of bed. Re-learning how to feed yourself, brush your teeth, and comb your hair are also part of the treatment. Even activities you enjoy, like cooking, gardening, or playing games are included in the therapy.

Speech changes can occur in those with Parkinson’s, including volume control, hoarseness, faster speech rate, or a lack of inflection. Such issues can make communication difficult. Swallowing problems may also occur, including saliva accumulation, drooling, and chewing or choking concerns. Speech therapy is the rehab required for Parkinson’s patients to address and improve these symptoms.