Parkinson's Disease & Stress

Parkinson's disease is a chronic and progressive disorder of the central nervous system. It is commonly characterised by a loss of motor functions and speech.

The disease is believed to occur when there is a loss of cells in the part of the brain known as the substantia negra. These cells are responsible for the production of dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that is used by the nervous system to transmit signals within the brain. Without dopamine, neurons in the brain are uncontrollable and, amongst other symptoms, this causes the body to be unable to control it's movements.

Some of the common motor symptoms include :

tremors – uncontrollable shaking,

rigidity – a stiffness of muscles and limbs,

posture instability – generally a fragile stance brought on by reduced balance

impaired speech – patients describe the feeling as having a heavy tongue.

Other symptoms that do not involve the motor function include :

Mood disturbances – It is thought that people with parkinson's disease are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.

Cognitive disturbances – Thee are a range of brain functions that become impaired as the disease progresses. Some examples are slow reaction times to cognitive events, memory loss, and in later development, dementia, and general organisational functions like attention spans, concept of time etc.

Sleep disturbances – This can range from over sleeping to insomnia.

Sensation disturbances – notably, visional impairment - double vision, colour blindness. There is a loss in the sense of smell.

Autonomic disturbances – weight loss, constipation, gastric complaints, excessive urination.

Stress management.

It is believed that stress management and other stress relieving activities can improve the condition and reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease sufferers. Along with proper medication, good sleep patterns and regular exercise, stress management can be an effective strategy in managing the disease and reducing the rate of progression of the disease.

It is believed that regular holidays and breaks can have a positive impact on the disease whilst stressful events will have the opposite effect. This can be extrapolated to include a whole range of natural stress relievers. Anything that can allow the body and mind to relax are potentially good for Parkinson's disease sufferers. Meditation or yoga combine physical and mental components and would be good for restricting the motor and mood symptoms of the disease.

Exercise of any type is good to keep the effect to the motor functions at bay.

Reducing stress is the key to keep Parkinson's disease symptoms to a minimum. Along with exercise, relaxtion techniques such as medidation, yoga and deep breathing can also help. 

Enter your search terms Submit search form