Is your bed hurting your back? Is the way you're sleeping contributing to your back pain?Dr. Todd Sinett, a New York-based chiropractor and author of "Three Weeks to a Better Back," said that mattresses or pillows can cause problems. So how to know if yours is the culprit?Pay attention, he suggested, while traveling. If you have less pain after sleeping in a hotel, for example, it may suggest a problem with your home mattress. Or if you have more than one bed in your house, try sleeping in a different bed than usual to see if your pain is alleviated. RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOURSinett said the right mattress for someone's back varies from person to person."There is no such thing as the best mattress," he said.Even patients with the same problem, like a lower-back issue, might need different fixes. "One person can sleep on a firm mattress, and the other person can hate it — and vice versa," he said.The good news, however, is that an expensive mattress isn't necessarily the one you need, Sinett said.
Physiotherapists are experts in developing a personalised exercise plan that can also help with movement and ease stiffness. It is important to keep up with the activities that are enjoyable and to maintain social engagements despite your PD. The symptoms of Parkinson’s may prevent you from taking up some of your former hobbies but you should, as much as possible, maintain the activities you enjoy. For example, people with PD who like to travel can continue to enjoy their trips while making some adjustments to daily life including taking regular breaks, and ensuring that their Parkinson’s medications are available at all times, and in particular at the destination regardless of any luggage delay. Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is important for people with Parkinson’s. A high-fibre diet and drinking lots of water can help reduce the constipation that is often associated with PD. Additionally, if you have PD and are taking any levodopa therapies, try not to take your pills at the same time as eating foods containing meat, fish, eggs or cheese.
Due to high protein content, the intake of those food items needs to be carefully timed during the day, but not totally avoided. It may be useful to see a dietician to get expert advice on your diet. This is particularly important if you have concerns about losing weight. Although some daily chores may become more difficult, it is important to maintain a positive attitude in order to find your own way to tackle the challenges presented by PD. By adjusting daily routines, people with PD can accommodate Parkinson’s symptoms such as slowness. For example, allowing more time to dress, and sitting down with arms supported by arm rests of a chair may help with unbuttoning clothing which can become difficult due to stiffness and tremor. Choosing clothes that are easier to put on can also help. A visit to an occupational therapist may also provide valuable tips for maintaining your lifestyle according to your personal needs and your unique Parkinson’s symptoms. Some PD symptoms such as slowness and stiffness may, over time, affect your ease of driving.
Tremor does not usually affect the ability to drive and may actually improve once you take the wheel. As PD progresses, fluctuating symptoms and involuntary movements may impair your driving. You should discuss this with your doctor. Sleep problems are quite common in people with PD and are part of the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s. These may be due to stiffness, discomfort, increased need to go to the toilet or waking up at night feeling depressed. In addition, some drugs affect the ability to sleep. It is a good idea to discuss this with your doctor, who will be able to advise you on simple solutions that may help. For example, if you are experiencing difficulties turning over in bed, using sheets with less friction (silk or satin) may help. Additionally, drinking coffee, tea or alcohol should be limited in the evening. Reading in bed or going to bed when you are sleepy may help with the onset of sleep. A diagnosis of PD won’t necessarily prevent you from working. However, some adjustments may need to be made depending on your Parkinson’s symptoms.
For example, creating a work schedule that allows more demanding tasks to be performed in periods of good energy and mobility can help you cope with such tasks. Other tips include using a computer instead of writing by hand, to help with writing difficulties due to hand tremors. In addition, allowing more time for each task, taking regular breaks and seeking the advice of occupational therapists can also help maintain an effective working life despite your PD. Most of all, you should listen to your own body. Support from friends and family Friends and family form an important support network for anyone living with PD. They may not always be aware of the more subtle signs of Parkinson’s so open dialogue may help them understand how you are feeling. Remember that your loved ones will also require some time for themselves in order to recharge batteries and be able to keep supporting you.As if you don't have enough to deal with. When it comes to Parkinson's disease (PD), diminished sexual function is practically inevitable.
From lack of sexual desire to low libido to difficulties with orgasmic functioning, this chronic, progressive, neurological disease can impair your sexuality in one way or the other. That's not to say, however, that those afflicted with Parkinson's can't restore their sex lives when faced with such challenges. Individuals with this most common form of "Parkinsonism," a term that refers to any condition that causes symptoms like those of PD, can reclaim their sex life. Couples can minimize any disruptions to their lovemaking in knowing how to effectively deal with the problems that can arise. Parkinson's affects one's autonomic nervous system, which controls sexual response and functioning. Parkinson's acts upon neurons in the brain's substantia nigra, causing dopamine-producing nerve cells to die. Since dopamine is a chemical that transmits signals between parts of the brain that usually coordinate smooth muscle movement, this is critical to sexual function on two fronts. First, this dopamine drop may result in a decreased sex drive and sexual interest.
Second, the lower levels of dopamine that result are believed to cause one's loss of balance, changes in walking pattern and posture, muscle rigidity, Bradykinesia (the slowing down of movement and spontaneous activity), and tremors when resting. The symptoms of Parkinson's can also be seen in: Impaired sexual coordination: In general, slowed movements, muscle tremors, and rigidity can intrude upon one's lovemaking abilities. The physical pain that may accompany such can also make sex painful or uncomfortable. Often fatigued and unable to control body movements, the person with Parkinson's may find pleasures diminished as they are forced to be more passive. Erectile Dysfunction (ED): Since PD impacts the central nervous system, men with PD may find themselves unable to attain or maintain an erection, let alone ejaculate. Issues with blood circulation to the penis and pelvic muscles can further lend themselves to ED. Vaginal dryness: Women with PD may experience inadequate lubrication, the result of which is painful sex, with bladder infections quite common.
Lack of climax: Between reduced sexual feeling and functioning, both sexes may not be able to attain orgasm, even when sexually active. Hypersexuality: While occurring in less than 1 percent of Parkinson's patients, a person may develop a compulsive sex drive from antiparkinsonian medications (levodopa combined with a dopamine agonist). With diagnosis and decreased physical capacity, a person's sense of self is disrupted with Parkinson's. Parkinson's itself can cause changes in the brain's chemicals that impact one's mood and well-being.Depression can affect up to 40 percent of those with Parkinson's. This is important to realize since sexual disorders may be due to the depression that can come with Parkinson's diagnosis more than by the actual disease itself. The antidepressant medications that may be administered can also result in sexual dysfunction. Other emotional issues for those who have Parkinson's, which may result in sexual difficulties, include: anger, stress, grief, and mental fatigue.
An individual grappling with Parkinson's may experience reduced self-esteem, which can inhibit one's sexuality. Such is made even more difficult by the body image problems that can arise, due to issues like changes in skin texture or the body smell that results from consuming Parkinson's drugs. The partner of a person with Parkinson's can also have trouble coping with the situation. Issues that may arise include: • Fatigue and resentment in taking on more responsibility. • Dealing with their own feelings related to a partner's diagnosis, like fear, anxiety, and depression. • Loss of attraction and sexual interest due to the symptoms of PD, e.g., involuntary movements or changes in appearance, like the lack of facial expression. Research in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry also found that the level of PD disability had a strong relationship to the healthier partner's sexual functioning. The physical and psychological challenges of Parkinson's are in many ways inescapable, ultimately impacting a couple's relationship.
One 2000 study out of the Medical University of Lübeck in Germany found that patients with Parkinson's were more dissatisfied with their sexual functioning and relationship than healthier counterparts. This is no surprise given that sexual dynamics are affected by matters like how each partner handles the Parkinson's diagnosis, daily demands and lovers' changing roles. The relationship, including the sex, becomes unfamiliar in many ways, especially for couples who have been together long term. A 2000 study found that affectionate touching and the expression of feelings were reduced, despite both partners desiring intimacy. This may be in part due to couples often sleeping in separate beds since the Parkinson's symptoms typically get worse at night. Such sleeping arrangements reduce the opportunity for spontaneous sexual contact. The sexual and relationship complications that can arise with Parkinson's can be devastating, with every couple's experience different. Individuals and couples should seek guidance and support in reducing sexual consequences that can arise.
Discuss your medications: While many of the symptoms of Parkinson's medication can be managed with medication, these drugs can decrease sexual desire, libido, and response. So you need to talk to your doctor about a treatment's side effects. Your doctor can help you to decide upon the best course of action and suggest medications that can alleviate any sexual problems. Erectile dysfunction, for example, can be reversed by treatment with dopaminergic drugs, which can increase sexual functioning since they mimic or heighten the effects of dopamine producing neurons. Viagra, an ED medication, has been found helpful over a two-month period, with significant improvements in overall sexual satisfaction, desire, ability to experience and maintain erection, and have orgasm. In considering medication treatments, be sure to discuss any contraindications with your doctor. Communicate: Many relationship and sexual issues stem from partners avoiding the discussion of their concerns and fears.
Lovers need to talk about what's going on in processing the diagnosis, the symptoms, and how this is affecting their sexual intimacy. If necessary, seek out a sex counselor to facilitate communication. Furthermore, couples need to exemplify their support to one another verbally, e.g., give each other compliments to maintain or boost one's self-esteem and desirability. Take on fatigue: With Parkinson's symptoms typically less pronounced in the morning, aim to make love early in the day. Exercising regularly can also reduce fatigue in bolstering stamina and fitness. So be sure to consult your doctor on the best exercise activities for you. (Download: Fatigue & Parkinson's Disease Supplement) Experiment: Couples must be willing to adapt their sexual patterns, attitudes, and habits, lest they face more problems. This may involve using lubrication, trying different forms of stimulation, and exploring new positions. Parkinson's can provide you with the opportunity to redefine sexual intimacy – in many ways for the better.