Parkinson disease is one of the most common neurologic disorders of older adults, affecting approximately 1. With life expectancy increasing, we can expect to see a rise in Parkinson disease in our older clients, especially males. Massage can help increase the quality of life in our clients struggling with this disease.
Parkinson disease PD is a neurodegenerative disease, causing abnormal movements such as tremors, rigidity, slowness of movements, and postural instability. Neurons deteriorate in a section of the mid-brain called the basal ganglia, particularly in the substantia nigra. These neurons produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter regulating voluntary movements.
Dopamine is also involved in emotions, mood, and motivation. PD is one of the most common neurologic disorders of elderly adults. Approximately 50, people in the United States are diagnosed each year and about half a million people have the disease. PD can develop in younger people, but this occurrence is rare. PD is caused by decreased levels of dopamine. The main risk factors are age, genetic predisposition, and male gender. Overexposure to toxins such as herbicides and pesticides may slightly increase your risk of PD.
The classic triad of symptoms includes resting tremors, rigidity, and a slowness of voluntary movements called bradykinesia. Bradykinesia is characterized by difficulty initiating, continuing, or synchronizing motion. Tremors or involuntary, rhythmic, shaking of a limb, head, or entire body occur as well as repetitive pill-rolling motions of the fingers These tremors are present only at rest hence the term resting tremors , disappearing briefly during voluntary movement and reappearing when the body is stationary.
These tremors are enhanced by emotional stress and cease during sleep. Postural instability is caused by loss of normal postural reflexes; the person is unable to maintain an upright position of the trunk while standing or walking.
