On occasions, some of our members find interesting and useful information, articles or videos while they are doing their own reading and research into Parkinson's Disease. Sometimes they feel that the information they have found is well worth sharing with the group. This is mostly done by email but we have now decided to also provide the links on this website page so others, apart from our members, can also read or watch the material. Such information is provided in good faith and, while the sources certainly appear reputable, the Support Group takes no responsibility for the validity of the information.
Articles and videos will be added to this page as time goes on .....
Recently there have been reports in media with regard to the possible connections between dreaming and Parkinson's Disease. Below is a link to the Nine TV reportas an article. Professor Simon Lewis, one of our leading PD experts in Australia, is involved in some of the research about this aspect of PD. Another two articles have been added below about this same topic.
https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/bad-dreams-and-parkinsons-disease
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-dreams-can-predict-parkinsons-disease#summary
Equipment that might be used by staff in hospitals or by the ambulance, when you have had a fall and cannot get up unaided.
There is very little existing data about non-motor symptoms for Parkinson's. Yet things like depression, anxiety and constipation can cause more distress to people with Parkinson's than more visible symptoms. Parkinson's specialist Dr Robin Fackrell explains how we can manage these symptoms better in this video below
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg1VaSxdbp0&t=365s
This is a useful website for a range of Parkinson's information - research included.
Pain is not readily associated with Parkinson's Disease by many. However, you only need to talk to People with Parkinson's to know it is there and can make life even more difficult for many. This link is excellent and gives layer upon layer of information about Pain and PD.
https://www.northernpaincentre.com.au/wellness/chronic-pain-patient-resource-list/
Many would see this unusual symptom as a positive aspect of Parkinson's Disease. Others find it difficult.
This article is a light-hearted comment on the fairly common Parkinson's Disease symptom of 'gaining a sweet tooth'. It is interesting, and fun read.
The other looks at dietary concerns.
https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/columns/parkinsons-cause-sweet-tooth-go-chocolate/
Parkinson's Disease can cause embarrassment to the PwP. This can lead to the PwP not socialising as often, or at all. Loved ones are affected by the isolation this can cause. One of the reasons our Parkinson's Support Group organised the Dance and Choir sessions was to enable our members to attend in a supportive environment. This extended to lunch and coffees afterwards. We have found the cafes involved extremely supportive. Everyone is relaxed and enjoys these outings. This article and the attached videos explain some of these aspects of PD.
https://healthtalk.org/parkinsons-disease/embarrassing-symptoms-of-parkinsons-disease
Impulse Control Disorders in PD are usually linked to the use of dopaminergic medications. Family of PwP should be aware of the possibility of this reaction to medication and, if it occurs, ensure the PwP sees their specialist as soon as possible so that medications can be adjusted before the impulsivity causes serious problems. This side effect affects only a very small percentage of people but it could have devastating effects for the PwP, and their family, through gambling; buying online items; spending wildly.... This article explains some of the problems.
https://www.apdaparkinson.org/what-is-parkinsons/symptoms/impulse-control-disorders/
This article has excellent reading about the disease symptoms with internal links to medications and treatment as well as the types of Parkinsonism symptoms and how they vary from individual to individual. At the end of the page there are also links to condition guides and external resources.
This video is about the signs and symptoms that could possibly indicate a higher than average risk of developing motor symptoms and a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease in the future.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=393745081632205&ref=watch_permalink
Some of the first symptoms people with Parkinson's may experience are not visible to others. As Parkinson's progresses, cognitive, and other non-motor symptoms continue to be a significant aspect of living with Parkinson's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2LP_5PC9LU
Some treatments target the underlying causes of Parkinson's Disease while others alleviate the symptoms. In particular, this video has some useful information about dyskinesia and whether it is linked to the disease or the medication.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y-1jeJcp-4&t=1s
“We have discovered for the first time a biological link between the gut microbiome and Parkinson’s disease.”
– Sarkis Mazmanian, Caltech
https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/dive-deep-the-link-between-parkinsons-and-the-gut/
Many people with Parkinson's take medications that contain levodopa. Some simple tips about the way in which one takes such medications can improve the effectiveness of the levodopa in the body.
https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/how-to-take-levodopa-for-parkinsons/
Depression is a very real and debilitating condition that many Parkinson’s disease sufferers experience. Our guest writer Dr Nicola Davies explores the causes of and treatments for depression and Parkinson’s.
Mary Spremulli runs a speech-language pathology private practice in Florida, US, specialising in the treatment of adults with voice, speech, and swallowing problems associated with Parkinson’s disease. Here, she lists her six top tips for healthcare professionals working with people living with the condition. This might be useful for PwP when chatting with a Speech pathologist.
https://parkinsonslife.eu/mary-spremulli-voice-aerobics-speech-therapy-parkinsons-patients/
A daughter shares her frustrations around her father not wanting to go to speech therapy.
PD can affect vision and this is a lesser-known symptom of Parkinson's Disease. For those who experience such symptoms much in their lives can be affected - reading, driving ... This website will link you to a number of information sheets about the topic as well as some online articles, podcasts and webinars. This information will give you some useful insights (pardon the pun) into the topic.
Depression is one of the symptoms of PD which we do not talk about enough. This is because a depressed person with PD will not usually choose to attend a support group or feel like talking about the problem and has not even necessarily realised the extent of the problem.
https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Symptoms/Non-Movement-Symptoms/Depression
One of our members has a lot of difficulty with sleep and fatigue. He sent us these links which he has found useful.
https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Symptoms/Non-Movement-Symptoms/Sleep-Disorders
Parkinson’s disease disrupts normal sleep patterns in the brain. Lack of proper sleep can worsen dyskinesia, a side effect of Parkinson’s medications. Better sleep quality can improve quality of life in people with Parkinson’s.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION LATELY ABOUT INFRARED LIGHT THERAPY AND A NUMBER OF ARTICLES AND LINKS HAVE BEEN SENT TO US BY MEMBERS. WE HAVE CHOSEN SOME THAT ARE NOT TOO REPETITIVE AND ADDED THEM TO THIS SECTION FOR YOUR INFORMATION.