Other Treatments for Parkinson Disease
There many other ways to help improve quality of life, such as:
Physical Therapy
A therapist can help you manage problems through exercises that are done at home or in a group. This can help with strength and flexibility. This can ease stiffness and help with balance.
Occupational Therapy
This type of therapy can help with fine motor skills and writing. This can help with skills needed to maintain daily life. It may also mean making changes to the home to make it safe.
Speech Therapy
This therapy may be needed by people who have problems speaking from the disease, such as not speaking loudly enough.
Cognitive Training
Cognitive training uses activities to promote brain health. It works best when done with other healthy habits.
REFERENCES:
Afshari M, Yang A, et al. Motivators and barriers to exercise in Parkinson’s disease. J Parkinsons Dis. 2017;7(4):703-711.
Bega D, Palmentera P, et al. Laughter is the best medicine: The Second City improvisation as an intervention for Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2017;34:62-65.
Homayoun H. Parkinson Disease. Ann Intern Med. 2018 Sep 4;169(5):ITC33-ITC48.
Michels K, Dubaz O, et al. “Dance therapy” as a psychotherapeutic movement intervention in Parkinson’s disease. Complement Ther Med. 2018;40:248-252.
Parkinson disease. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/parkinson-disease. Updated October 4, 2019. Accessed February 24, 2020.
Parkinson disease. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/movement-and-cerebellar-disorders/parkinson-disease. Updated December 2018. Accessed February 24, 2020.
Parkinson's disease. American Association of Neurological Surgeons website. Available at: http://www.aans.org/en/Patient%20Information/Conditions%20and%20Treatments/Parkinsons%20Disease.aspx. Accessed February 24, 2020.
Parkinson's disease information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Parkinsons-Disease-Information-Page. Updated August 28, 2019. Accessed February 24, 2020.
Last reviewed November 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Rimas Lukas, MD Last Updated: 1/27/2021