Parkinson’s Disease

Liberty Oxygen and Medical Equipment is presenting a series on various conditions individuals may have. These articles will provide some background information for each and help you understand how our oxygen and medical equipment resources may be best suited for you or your senior loved one’s needs. One of the most well-known early signs of Parkinson’s disease is a slight tremor or shaking in your hand. A slight tremor may be normal if you are feeling stressed or after exercise, but if you’re experiencing this while at rest, this could be an early sign of Parkinson’s. There are other common signs, such as loss of smell, change in handwriting, trouble moving and even issues with sleeping that all point to Parkinson’s. Demonstrating any one of these or other signs alone does not necessarily mean you have Parkinson’s disease, but if you experiencing more than one it may be a good idea to see a physician. The Mayo Clinic’s website defines Parkinson’s disease as a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. Often beginning on one side of the body, the symptoms develop gradually and worsen over time as your condition progresses. Although the symptoms and signs will vary from person to person, some common signs may include:

• Tremor –a shaking often begins in a hand or fingers.
• Bradykinesia (slowed movement) –over time the disease may reduce the ability to move or slow movement making typically simple tasks more difficult.
• Rigid muscles –muscle stiffness may occur in any part of the body which can cause pain and limit range of motion.
• Speech changes –slurred, hesitated or monotoned inflection are some speech problems that may occur as a result of Parkinson’s.
• Writing changes –writing may become small or become hard to write altogether.
• Loss of automatic movement –decreased ability to perform unconscious movements such as swinging your arms when walking or even blinking.
• Impaired posture and balance –balance issues or stooped posture can result from the disease.

Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, there are options to help manage the disease and progression, such as:

• Exercise
• Medication
• Surgery
• Physical therapy
• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy

Although the cause is unknown, research shows that certain neurons in the brain (nerve cells) gradually break down or die in those who have this disease. Many of the signs and symptoms discussed here are triggered due to a loss of neurons that produce the chemical messenger in your brain called dopamine, which causes abnormal brain activity and leads to the signs of Parkinson’s disease. Other factors which appear include genetics and environmental triggers. In addition, researchers feel the most important clue to the cause of Parkinson’s is the presence of Lewy bodies in the brain. Lewy bodies are clumps of specific substances within brain cells. More information can be found on the Mayo Clinic website. Liberty Oxygen and Medical Equipment is the premier home medical equipment provider serving Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding Twin Cities suburbs with quality equipment and outstanding customer service. We enable you to stay safe and live independently in your home by offering a comprehensive array of home medical equipment and oxygen, including a walker, cane, and shower grab bars which may help with balance issues. Other medical equipment options Liberty Oxygen provides which may help a person with Parkinson’s as their disease progresses and muscles become more rigid is a power lift chair. Your health and well-being is too important to trust to just anyone. Let the caring professionals at Liberty Oxygen and Medical Equipment assist you with the home medical equipment and other healthcare and oxygen supplies you need. Stop in any of our eight Minneapolis and St. Paul metro locations or contact us today with questions, concerns or comments.