Help for Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield

Hello and welcome back to the ThreeSpires Physiotherapy blog where we take a look at all things physiotherapy and health related. In the last couple of blogs we have been looking at the help available in Sutton Coldfield for anyone with Multiple Sclerosis or recovering from a stroke. In the same theme I thought that it would be a good idea to have a look at another common and debilitating condition: Parkinson's Disease and look at what it is, how it affects people, the help available for Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield and how our mobile physios can help people with Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield.

What is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's Disease is a common progressive neurological condition that affects areas of the brain that co-ordinate muscle movements. It is caused by the death of cells in the brain that produce the key neurotransmitter dopamine.It is important that if you or a relative has Parkinson's Disease that you access as much high quality rehabilitation and physiotherapy as you possibly can which is where our home visit physiotherapy service in Sutton Coldfield can really help.

What are the Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease?

The effects of Parkinson's Disease are extremely varied and in the early days can very mild but the following are some of the most common:

Tremors/Shaking: This is usually one of the first symptoms to be noticed and tends to be worst at rest. In general in Parkinson's Disease the hands will be affected the most.

Stiffness: Joints and limbs can often become stiff causing difficulty with movement.

Balance and Posture: As the Parkinson's Disease progresses  people will tend to stoop more and their balance will often worsen causing more falls.

Speech Changes: Words may become slurred or harder to understand

Handwriting: This will often worsen and become very thin and spidery.

Please be aware that these can also be symptoms of other conditions and if you have any of these issues you should seek medical advice. 

What Causes Parkinson's Disease?

The exact cause of Parkinson's Disease is unknown but is thought to be a combination of genetic factors and environmental triggers. People with a family member with Parkinson's Disease seem more likely to get the disease themselves.

Who is Likely to get Parkinson's Disease?

People usually begin developing symptoms of Parkinson's Disease after the age of 50 and it is much more common as people age. Apprximately 1 in 500 people are affected by Parkinson's Disease and men are very slightly more likely to get Parkinson's Disease than women.

How is Parkinson's Disease Diagnosed?

Unfortunately as with many other neurological conditions there is no conclusive test for Parkinson's Disease and a diagnosis is usually made via a combination of physical testing and patient symptoms. It is often hard to be certain of a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, especially in the early days when symptoms may be very mild and often mistaken for other issues. In general, a patient who is concerned they may have Parkinson's Disease will see their GP, who will discuss things with them and if they are concerned will refer them through to a neurologist. At this point the neurologist will performs some physical tests such as looking at strength, balance and reflexes and then in combination with the patient's history will make a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. Sometimes it may be necessary to undergo further testing such as imaging via an MRI to rule out other potential causes. 

What Professionals Will Be Involved with a Patient with Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield?

The medical professionals involved in the care of a patient with Parkinson's Disease will very much depend upon the nature and intensity of their symptoms and may vary significantly over time. For anyone who has not previously had involvement with hospitals and medicine in general this can be a confusing experience with a bewildering array of professionals. Below I have tried to give a general guide to people who may be involved in helping with Parkinson's Disease:

1. Neurological Consultant: as mentioned earlier this will be the person who makes the formal diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease and will also be the person in overall charge of your care. If your symptoms are mild and well controlled it is likely that you will only raraley see your consultant, however if medication needs changing or things worsen then it is likely that they will become more involved.

2. GP: on a daily basis, its mostly likely that the GP will be the doctor most closely involved with managing your Parkinson's Disease.The GP will make any referrals such as to occupational therapy and act as the gate-keepers for NHS services. It is important that if there are any changes in your Parkinson's Disease that you keep them well informed.

3. Occupational Therapist (OT): if your symptoms of Parkinson's Disease are mild there will be likely minimal need for OT involvement. However as things change the occupational therapists can help with assessment for equipment and adaptations to your house that can make life easier.

4. Carers/Care Agency: as things progress, eventually people with Parkinson's Disease tend to need soem help to amke the every day things in life easier and this is where carers and a care agency can come in. There are many care agencies in Sutton Coldfield that will be able to help with Parkinson's Disease.

5. Physiotherapists: obviously physiotherapy will play a key role in maintaining strength, balance and reducing the risk of falls associated with Parkinson's Disease. Initially when symptoms are mild physiotherapy will simply involve having an assessment to have a look at how things are being affected and discuss the best management plan but later on physiotherapy will play a key role.

How Much Physiotherapy Will I Get to Help with My Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield?

This is a common question from many of our patients in Sutton Coldfield with Parkinson's Disease and although in our opinion as physiotherapists, it makes a lot of sense that the NHS should be supporting people with long-term conditions and making sure that they stay as fit and strong as possible, unfortunately the reality is that budgets and resources are very stretched and there is often limited help available. Certainly in the early days of Parkinson's Disease it is likely that you will have very little involvement with either NHS physiotherapists or OTs in Sutton Coldfield and it will only be when things have progressed that they will become involved. As many people are aware there is often a long wait to access services and once you have seen a physio it is likely that they will only be able to see you a few times. 

Our physios are able to work with the NHS physiotherapists in Sutton Coldfield to ensure that you get as much physiotherapy as you need for your Parkinson's Disease. We can either fill in the gaps between visits or we can be there while you wait for NHS physiotherapy to start. Sometimes, patients with Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield will have been discharged from NHS physiotherapy but they will still feel that they would benefit from further physiotherapy and in this case our mobile home visit physios in Sutton Coldfield can help.

What General Help is There for Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield?

One of the main difficulties that people face, especially when being first diagnosed is knowing what help there is available to help them with their Parkinson's Disease. As such I have tried to list below all of the resources that I am aware of to help with Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield:

1. Parkinson's Cafe: there is a meet up organised by Age Concern every other Tuesday in Sutton Coldfield. More details can be found by clicking here.

2. Parkinsons UK Website: although not specifically for Sutton Coldfield, this is still of enormous use for anyone with Parkinson's Disease and has a large array of resources. More info can be found here.

3. Seated Exercise Classes: if you are currently getting around and having minimal diffculties then a seated exercise class won't be of much use, however a common difficulty that people with Parkinson's Disease face is a loss of balance and a tendency to fall. Therefore seated exercise classes make a lot of sense. If you click on this link here, you will be able to find a wide array of classes in Sutton Coldfield. 

How Can ThreeSpires Physiotherapy Help me With Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield?

We can help in a number of ways and have testimonials available on our website, Facebook page and Google+ page.  Our chartered physiotherapists are all experienced at assisting patients with Parkinson's Disease and are able to provide a physiotherapy service at home in Sutton Coldfield to anyone who has Parkinson's Disease. Often our physiotherapists work alongside and in conjunction with NHS neurological physiotherapists to maximise mobility and function for patients with Parkinson's Disease and our physiotherapists are able to liaise directly with NHS staff in order to reduce the burden on families. Below are some key ways in which we can help:

1. Our physiotherapists provide home visit physiotherapy in all of Sutton Coldfield. Our physiotherapy service is fully mobile and our physios will come out to you in Sutton Coldfield, eliminating the diffiulty and time associated with getting out to a physical clinic in Sutton Coldfield. 

2. Experience with Parkinson's Disease: all of our physiotherapists are very experienced with working with patients with Parkinson's. Our physios will be able to understand how your Parkinson's Disease is affecting you and will be able to guide and help you through how to manage your symptoms. Our testimonials show that our patients are very happy with our home visit physiotherapy service.

3. Liaise & work with NHS staff: we commonly work alongside the NHS physiotherapy service when helping patients with Parkinson's Disease in Sutton Coldfield. Our physios have previously been in the NHS and as a community physiotherapy service in Sutton Coldfield we understand how NHS physiotherapy operates.

4. We will be able to assess you at home in Sutton Coldfield and look at how your Parkinson's Disease is affecting you in your home environment. We provide a management plan of how best to help with your Parkinson's Disease, which may include further sessions of physiotherapy and an exercise program individualised to you. 

What To Expect With Physiotherapy  At Home In Sutton Coldfield For Parkinson's Disease

If you have any queries about how our home visit physiotherapy service in Sutton Coldfield works and what you should expect then please get in touch and we will be more than happy to talk you through it. Below is a brief look over how our home visit physiotherapy service in Sutton Coldfield works for anyone with Parkinson's Disease:.

Once an appointment has been booked one of our mobile physios will visit you in Sutton Coldfield for the initial assessment. Bookings can be made easily by phone, email or our contact form on our website and generally our physios are able to see you in Sutton Coldfield within a week. If booking by email, it is really helpful for our physiotherapist to have information about how Parkinson's Disease is affecting you. Please remember that Parkinson's Disease is very variable in how it affects people and giving us details about the ways in which it is affecting you, allows our physio to be much more prepared when they visit you at home in Sutton Coldfield. 

Our mobile physio will now attend your home in Sutton Coldfield. As mobile, home visit physiotherapy service in Sutton Coldfield, we really do try to be on time but sometimes there is heavy traffic or roadworks in Sutton Coldfield and we get delayed, so if your physio is 5 minutes late please don’t worry, they will be there. At the start of the session your physio will thalk through your situation with you, how Parkinson's Disease is affecting you and your goals for physiotherapy. This part of the assessment is in our opinion as physios, the most important part as it gives your physio a good overview of you and what you would like to work on.

Next, there is a physical assessment which looks at how you are able to move, how you are walking (with any aids) and your strength. This physical part tries to decide what is weak, what has been affected by Parkinson's Disease and what needs working on. Our physio will then discuss their findings and create a personalised exercise program to help you. Finally, they will go through a management plan and book any follow up physiotherapy sessions that are needed.

FAQs For Physiotherapy For Parkinson's Disease In Sutton Coldfield

1.. Do your physios cover all of Sutton Coldfield to help with Parkinson's Disease? yes, if you live anywhere in Sutton Coldfield then one of our physiotherapists will be able to visit you at home. If you want to be certain that our home visit physiotherapy service covers your part of Sutton Coldfield just send us an email and let us know your postcode and we can check for you.

B. How quickly can your physios see me in Sutton Coldfield? we try our very best to get a physiotherapist out to you as soon as possible and in general we are able to see all patients in Sutton Coldfield within a week. 

C. Do your physios work with older people with Parkinson's Disease? yes, of course and in fact our mobile physios in Sutton Coldfield have an enormous amount of experience of working with older people in Sutton Coldfield. We have a comprehensive article on this topic Physiotherapy For The Elderly At Home. 

D. Have you any evidence that your home visit physiotherapy service in Sutton Coldfield has been able to help anyone with Parkinson's Disease? Yes, of course, we have a large number of testimonials available here on our website or you can visit our Google or Facebook pages. Our physiotherapists pride themselves on the number of positive testimonials that they get from patients and their relatives in Sutton Coldfield.

E. How many sessions will I need of physiotherapy at home in Sutton Coldfield? This is a very difficult question to answer and you would need an assessment at home in Sutton Coldfield with one of our mobile home visit physiotherapists. 

F. Can my relative attend the sessions? yes, absolutely they can and in fact we are very keen for relatives to be involved in physiotherapy sessions. Having family support with Parkinson's Disease is extremely helpful and our physios will be very happy to work with and demonstrate any exercises to family members in Sutton Coldfield.

Okay, I hope you have found this physiotherapy blog useful. If you or anyone you know has Parkinson's Disease and lives in Sutton Coldfield then please get in touch to have a chat about how we might be able to help with recovery and physiotherapy. We can be contacted via email: enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk or phone: 07884281623