How Chiropractic Care Ties Into the Recent Improvements in Parkinson's Disease Treatment
When it comes to being aware of your health, it is always important to know about your family history, and what possible health problems are present. Parkinson’s disease is a gradual brain disorder that is directly related to the nervous system. It is important to know your family health history because if you know anyone in your family with the disease, it increases your chances of developing it.
Read more to find out more information about Parkinson’s including the symptoms, causes and treatment options.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s occurs in stages and is a slow-acting disease. The early stages may begin with lack of control of facial expressions and not being able to move arms while walking. Progressively, those suffering from the disease will lose control over speech and the ability to walk.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms will vary based on each individual and also on the particular stage.
Some of the possible symptoms include:
- Posture & Balance- problems with keeping a proper posture
- Automatic movements-losing the ability to control movements that include blinking and smiling
- Loss of the ability to write
- Tremors- unpredictable shaking that can be in your hands, legs or the entire body
- Stiffness in the muscles
- Difficulty moving
Possible Causes & Risk Factors
While past family health is one possible cause of the disease, there are a few other possible causes. There is still ongoing research being done on what exactly is the direct cause of the disease. Some of the current possible causes include: environmental triggers such as toxins. Recognizing risk factors is key in helping those that may be more susceptible to the disease, recognize it at the most early stage possible.
Risk Factors include:
- The sex of a person: Males are more likely to develop the disease than women.
- Toxins such as herbicides and pesticides have been shown to possibly be a factor in the disease.
- Those in middle or late ages are more susceptible to develop the disease than someone younger in age.
Chiropractic Treatment
There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but there is ongoing research on both treatment and on possible cures. Treatment options include medications that can help with tremors and movement problems. There are ongoing research studies being done that are testing the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment on being a possible relief option for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. One research study involved chiropractic treatment with a 66-year-old woman, who had shown the presence of subluxations. Subluxations have been shown to interfere with the central nervous system. After treatment that included chiropractic adjustments, it was found that there were significant improvements in her present Parkinson’s symptoms.
Other recent research studies have shown another form of chiropractic treatment, upper cervical care, have also been shown to be effective in controlling the Parkinson’s disease symptoms.