Parkinson’s Disease is a disorder of the central nervous system, and affects nearly 1 million Indians every year. It is a disease that is marked with age, and can be treated but not cured. Parkinson’s patients gradually lose motor skills that hamper movement. Moreover, Parkinson’s Disease patients experience lack of dopamine secretion that leads to other issues.
On the face of it, many countries accept Parkinson’s Disease itself as a disability, especially in the latter stages. However, apart from Parkinson’s Disease hindering a patient’s day-to-day life, there are often times cases when the individual can get other disabilities that emerge out of the disease itself, i.e., as a byproduct. Usually, these additional disabilities are to do with the impairment of one’s motor skills and/or mental and cognitive abilities.

Parkinson’s Diseases Disabilities

Mental Disabilities Due To Parkinson’s Disease:

Studies show that there is a great deal of interconnection between the decline of mental health and Parkinson’s Disease; the psychotic disorders and cognitive decline. Parkinson’s Disease is largely known to be a movement disorder. But, that is just the headline that everyone keeps talking about. Under the table, there is a huge aspect of many non-motor symptoms which only the patients experience and neurologists try to put forward. But, due to the lack of definite evidence, many of the additional factors related to the mental health are often ignored in Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s Disease is mainly known as a physical disorder that may lead to mental side effects including:

Depression:

Depression is the most common mental disability associated with Parkinson’s Disease. It is said that the patient will face it either at the onset of Parkinson’s Disease or in the latter half. Depression and Parkinson’s Disease, both follow a vicious cycle of influencing one another.

Sleeping Disorders:

Parkinson’s Disease patients often develop sleeping disorders due to the negative impact it has on the lifestyle of the patient. Sleeping disorders due to Parkinson’s Disease can take manifestation in the form of nocturnal sleep disturbance; sleep related movement disorders and parasomnias. Parkinson’s Disease patients also tend to develop insomnia.

Impulsive Compulsive Disorder:

Many readings show high rate of Impulsive-Compulsive Disorder in Parkinson’s Disease patients. These conditions arise from abnormal or disproportionate dopamine receptor stimulation. Once triggered, the ICD stays for lifetime and can only be controlled with medication and therapy to some extent.

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Motor Disabilities Due To Parkinson’s Disease

Motor skill related activities succumb to Parkinson’s Disease, and this is sort of a given. Since Parkinson’s Disease directly affects the central nervous system of the individual, and reduces the impact of the part of the brain that controls motor skills, physical ailments are second nature to Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s causes muscle rigidity, soreness, and muscular dystrophy, etc.

Thus, it is obvious that as the patient develops Parkinson’s Disease further, performing day-to-day tasks becomes tougher. In order to avoid rapid degradation of health, a Parkinson’s Disease patient can take a few precautions to prevent the side effects. They include healthy diet and exercise. Good nutrition and exercise helps stimulate the body and brain, and also encourages the supply of fresh blood and hormones to the brain.

Apart from that in order to ensure the safety of the Parkinson’s Disease patient, the caregiver and patient themselves can ensure a few tips:

  • Stretch your muscles and body before lifting any heavy object. Try to keep your posture upright with the help of sit-right chairs and backrests. Posture belts can also be used to keep the back posture straight and prevent muscle cramps.
  • Don’t turn around swiftly, turn slowly and take a curved path. Use walking aids when necessary and always keep them in reach.
  • Always keep one hand free while walking to be able to grab any support in case of an emergency. Use shoes with extra grip to prevent slipping and enhance stability while walking. Try to avoid heeled shoes and slippers.
  • Do not keep weight on one side of your body. It can cause sudden imbalance. Always distribute the weight either with the use of a dual shoulder bag or dividing objects evenly in your pockets.

In conclusion, Parkinson’s Disease itself is classified as a disability, it causes cognitive and motor skill impairment. Though there are no disabilities that further arise out of Parkinson’s Disease, the symptoms it produces more or less can be regarded as additional disabilities. It is essential to maintain good health and undergo regular check-ups especially to keep cognitive disorders at bay.
Parkinson’s Disease is much easier to deal with if one follows adequate safety tips and takes care of their general health- apart from medical care and therapy, personal care helps improve lifestyle.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are for informational purposes only. Please take advice of a trained medical professional before acting on any of the above statements.